National health insurance VS Private insurance

This is something that I have been wanting to write since like 2 years ago and I know a lot of KGSP students are thinking whether to get a Korean insurance or a private insurance (the default insurance for foreign students).

Disclaimer: This post is my opinion based on my experience as a sickly foreign student here in South Korea and by no means targeting any insurance companies.

So… what should you get? National health insurance or a private insurance.

For me, if you are on maintenance medications or suffering from illness back home or easily gets stress or has allergies or just want to make sure that you don’t have to pay anything in case of emergency, it is wise and convenient to get the national health insurance.

Why? Simple, if you have this, every time you visit a doctor or a hospital or a clinic, you will get an automatic deduction for your insurance and will only pay minimal. In contrast, if you have the private insurance, you have to pay the fee first and request for refund every. single. time. Which is time consuming and inconvenient when you can’t afford the high cost of your treatment. Especially if you need to go to an emergency room, it can be really expensive and the private insurance (as far as I know) covers only 200,000 won for out-patient treatments and thus, you have to shoulder the amount that exceeds 200,000 won.

When to apply for national health insurance? As soon as you land in Korea and when your language institute coordinator asked what insurance you prefer, you can tell her that you want to subscribe to the national health insurance or if he/she did not ask you about insurance, tell her that you prefer to get the national health insurance and he/she will, hopefully, explain and help you with the process.

How much? National health insurance is more expensive than the private insurance. The latter costs 20,000 won per month and the former costs depending on your status and income (i.e. student, self-employed, etc.). But it is important that you apply as soon as you enter South Korea.

Not getting the national health insurance was a really big mistake on my part, it costs me a lot to get treatments and most of the time, I don’t want to go to a hospital or a clinic because I know I have to pay a lot, without the deducted insurance.

Please be wise about your health. Studying in South Korea will be stressful and to get sick while far away from home is more stressful.

For more information on the national health insurance, go to their website.

 

 

English Sunday Mass at Sogang Catholic University, Seoul, South Korea

Other than Myeongdong Cathedral (English mass on Sundays at 9:00am), there are two (that I know of) Catholic Churches that are conducting masses in English every Sunday.

First, the Seoul International Catholic Church aka St. Francisco Catholic International Parish. This parish has English masses on Sundays at 9:00am and 11:00am.

Directions: from Seoul Station to Seoul International Catholic Church https://goo.gl/maps/X87Ph6UQaMu

 

Second, the Sogang Catholic University’s St. Ignatius Chapel (a Jesuit school) has English mass at 7:30pm, every Sunday.

Directions: Take Subway Line 2 (Green Line) going to Sinchon Station. At this station, take exit 6, walk straight, and when you reach the main rain, walk towards your left. You’ll pass by K-Turtle, Starbucks, and after Angel-in-us Coffee, you will see the entrance to the university. Enter the main gate and walk/climb/hike to the Chapel. When you see the statue of Jesus on top of the stairs, that’s the Chapel.