America's first comprehensive health care bill passed on March 21, and uninsured Koreans across the country rejoiced, along with middle and low-income families, with the expectation that they will soon have health coverage.
On March 23, the health care reform bill will be signed by the president; it contains the range of expanded Medicare benefits for low-income families as well as support for middle-income families. Government subsidies of insurance costs will mean that many low- and middle-income Korean families will now be able to afford medical care in their community.
Under the bill, a family of four with an annual income of less than $29,327 is now eligible for health insurance, since the government has extended the poverty level up to 133 percent. Also eligible are individuals with an annual income of between $13,320 and $14,404, as well as families of four with incomes between $29,327 and $88,200 annually – the poverty level has been raised to 400 percent.
In the event that an employer does not provide health insurance and the annual income for individuals and four-member families are above $43,320 and $88,200 respectively, government support for insurance will not be given.
Elderly Koreans have had an especially difficult time covering the high costs of medications; they too are now rejoicing. With Medicare part D, the so-called "doughnut hole" will vanish by 2020; starting this year, the elderly will receive new benefits, such as more monetary support, and up to 50 percent discounts for their prescription drugs.
Furthermore, since pre-existing illnesses can no longer be used to exclude someone from health insurance, many ill Koreans are relieved to know that they will also be eligible to receive insurance, thus reducing the financial burden of high treatment costs.
However, undocumented Koreans, who had hoped for insurance, will be excluded from coverage and cannot receive health care benefits paid for with tax dollars.
Also Korean businessmen are worried; even if the bill provides a maximum 35 percent tax exemption for employee insurance costs, they fear costs will nevertheless be overwhelming and that most of their sales revenues will go to cover insurance costs. They consider the new insurance benefits to be a double burden for them.
