Healthcare

National Health Insurance (NHIS / 국민건강보험)

Once you're in Korea on a long-term visa for more than 6 months, NHIS enrollment is mandatory. Your employer enrolls you if you have a salaried job; otherwise you're enrolled as a "local subscriber" and billed directly. The NHIS foreigner-specific page has the current premium calculator and rules.

• Premiums: roughly 7% of income, split with employer if you're employed. Self-enrolled foreigners pay a minimum of about ₩150,000/month.
• Coverage: NHIS pays 60–80% of most medical costs. You pay the remainder at the counter.
• Dental and vision are partially covered; cosmetic procedures are not.

What things actually cost

With NHIS, typical out-of-pocket costs are:

• GP visit: ₩5,000–₩10,000
• Specialist visit: ₩15,000–₩30,000
• Blood test: ₩10,000–₩30,000
• Dental cleaning: ₩15,000–₩40,000
• Most generic prescriptions: under ₩10,000

Seeing a doctor

1. Find a nearby clinic (의원) — most neighborhoods have GPs, dentists, dermatologists, ENT, and OB-GYN within a few blocks. No appointment usually needed.
2. Bring your ARC and NHIS card (digital is fine).
3. For serious conditions, get a referral to a general hospital (종합병원) — most have dedicated international centers: Severance, Samsung Medical, Asan, SNUH, Seoul St. Mary's, and similar.
4. For 24-hour English help with finding care, call 1339.

Pharmacies (약국)

Identified by a green cross. Pharmacists in cities often speak some English. You'll need a doctor's prescription for most medications; common over-the-counter items (painkillers, cold remedies) are available without one.