The National Health Insurance Service (NHIS) said on Nov. 3 the Metropolitan and Provincial Council Chairs Association of Korea (MPCCAK) unanimously approved a resolution to recognize faulty tobacco production substances and urge social responsibility at the sixth extraordinary session at the Chungcheongbuk-do provincial council on Oct. 30.
The resolution proposal was submitted by Chmn. Lim Chae-sung of the Sejong City Council The resolution indicated that tobacco makers were at fault in the labelling of products, not fully taking into account tobacco’s harmful substances and the dangers of smoking.
The resolution stressed that bocca makers infringed on consumers’ right to know since the dangers are not fully divulged, causing smoking-related health insurance care expenditures worth 17,375.8 billion won between 2019 and 2023, a huge fiscal burden to the health insurance finance system.
With the passage of the resolution, MPCCAK plans to make efforts to urge the government and related organizations to ramp up an anti-smoking measures and implement effective systems and policies to reduce smoking damages.
In October, a combined 86 provincial and city councils, including the Sejong City Council, joined forces to support the anti-smoking lawsuit.
As for MPCCAK’s decision, NHIS evaluated that the resolution takes on significance as it was adopted with unanimous consensus by gathering nationwide delegations’ views.
In April 2014, NHIS submitted a 53.3 billion won damage compensation claim against KT&G, Korea Philip Morris and BAT Korea.
An appellate court is to deliver a verdict. NHIS claims that tobacco makers should admit to selling faulty products, and fully inform consumers of all harmful substances and dangers and accept full corporate responsibility, such as relief of smoking victims, treatment, compensation, and health Insurance financial loss compensation.
NHIS CEO Jung Ki-suck said, “NHIS’ smoking lawsuit and MPCCAK’s unanimous approval of the resolution have a common goal of protecting people’s health rights, and we expect the court’s historic judgement to make Korea healthier.”
NHIS Holds ‘NHIS UHC Global Academy 2025’ to Transfer Korea’s UHC Experiences to 16 Countries
The National Health Insurance Service held the “NHIS UHC Global Academy 2025” at the Oak Valley Resort in Wonju, Gangwon-do, from Nov. 3 until Nov. 7.
The education program took place under the theme “Building a Sustainable Health Care System for All: Based on Korea’s Experiences of Achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC).”
The program was attended by trainees, such as government officials and experts in the planning, fiscal and health care sectors from 16 countries, including from Asia, Africa and the Central and South America.
NHIS arranged practice-oriented educational curriculums, such as insurance finance, qualification/premium imposition, premium levy, insurance reimbursement, long-term care insurance, and utilization of big data.
NHIS in-house experts gave lectures to share the health working-level knowledge necessary for health insurance systems and policy management and support the development of health insurance polies corresponding to each participating country’s individual conditions.
The program also dealt with the latest global pending issues, such as health care big data and AI-based digital health and strategies designed to cope with an aging society, based on the outcomes of the trainees’ prior demand survey.
Anthony Gingong, a director-general trainee with Ghana’s health insurance agency said, “Ghana has established an insufficient health insurance fiscal foundation, so we have challenging tasks, such low subscription rate and insurance coverage, and this education program will serve as an opportunity to learn Korea’s institutional development process and operational experiences and explore the direction of their development.”
In an opening speech, NHIS President Jung Ki-suck said, “Countries participating in the training course are expected to ponder how to achieve sustainable general health coverage and gain an insight into it, and NHIS will redouble efforts to fulfill its roles as a global leader to give a helping hand to countries who need Korea’s experiences of managing health insurance through cooperation with the international community and build the future of health care together.”
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