But not all hospitals use the same standard. Some apply general rates, and even within the same university hospital system, Pusan National University Hospital’s main campus applies international rates, while its Yangsan Hospital applies general rates.

Background and context

International rates are generally used for foreign nationals who come to Korea for treatment, such as medical tourists, and for uninsured patients, whether Korean or foreign. Uninsured patients are those who are not covered by health insurance. Because hospitals set their own treatment criteria and fees, the standard applied to undocumented migrants can also vary from one hospital to another.

Rep. Kim’s office compared medical expenses for foreign patients at national university hospitals with those of users of a medical support program for vulnerable foreign nationals (취약 외국인 의료지원 프로그램) from 2023 to 2025. The analysis examined the 20 diagnosis categories that received the largest amounts of support through the program, excluding categories with fewer than five patients. In the 13 outpatient diagnosis categories that remained, the average total medical expense per person was about 2.03 million won for foreign patients at national university hospitals and 1.24 million won for program users. The difference between the two groups’ averages was about 1.6 times.

However, these figures should not be interpreted as the actual cost difference resulting from applying international rates to undocumented migrants. The national university hospital patient group used for comparison was not made up solely of undocumented migrants, and the analysis did not account for differences in disease severity, treatment received, or hospital type. Therefore, the average gap identified cannot show how much international rates contributed to the difference.

What this news means

When fee standards differ among hospitals, the rates charged to patients may depend on which hospital they visit. Since applying international rates could increase the burden on vulnerable patients, it is worth considering whether it is appropriate to apply the same standard simply because someone is a foreign national. On the other hand, the data in this analysis do not establish how much of an additional burden international rates place on each patient.

Rep. Kim Yoon (김윤) said that applying international rates uniformly to all foreign nationals could harm patients who are vulnerable to medical expenses, and that standards should be refined according to the reason for treatment and patients’ financial circumstances. Rather than questioning the need for international rates themselves, this can be seen as a proposal to consider whether a standard is needed that does not treat patients visiting for treatment and patients in financial hardship in the same way.

For example, if an undocumented migrant visits a hospital for treatment, the billing standard may differ depending on the hospital’s rates. This example alone, however, cannot be used to calculate the actual amount billed or the difference between the two rates.

What is confirmed and what remains unknown

Confirmed facts

  • Pusan National University Hospital’s main campus, Seoul National University Hospital, and Chonnam National University Hospital told Rep. Kim’s office that they generally apply international rates to treatment for undocumented migrants.
  • Some hospitals apply general rates, and the standards used by Pusan National University Hospital’s main campus and Yangsan Hospital also differ.
  • In the 13 outpatient diagnosis categories in the 2023–2025 data, average total medical expenses per person were about 2.03 million won for the foreign patient group and 1.24 million won for program users.
  • The patient group used for comparison was not made up solely of undocumented migrants, and the analysis did not account for differences in severity, treatment received, or hospital type.

What remains unknown

  • What are the specific fee differences between international and general rates for individual items?
  • How many of the patients charged international rates are undocumented migrants, and what are their actual average medical expenses?
  • Are there plans to change the standards applied by hospitals or allow exceptions?

What readers should check

  • Before receiving treatment, patients should ask the hospital which fee standard applies to undocumented migrants and what the estimated cost will be.
  • Because standards can vary among facilities within the same university hospital system, it is important to check the policy of the specific hospital to be visited.
  • Anyone considering using a support program should not rely on the average medical expenses in this comparison to determine their personal eligibility or actual out-of-pocket costs. They should check the program’s eligibility requirements and whether it is available at the hospital in question.