South Korea has a universal single-payer healthcare system started in July 1977 [133]. The Korean National Health Insurance (NHI) system covers 97% of the Korean population, and those remaining uninsured 3% are either lower income groups covered by a medical aid program or are temporary or illegal residents. The NHI system is managed by the National Health Insurance Corporation (NHIC) for the enrollment of insured people and their dependents, collection of contributions, and setting of medical fee schedules. The insurance is funded by beneficiaries’ contributions, government subsidies, and tobacco surcharges. The insured individual is required to pay a certain portion of the healthcare costs. The inpatients pay 10-20%, and the out patients
