During the Chuseok holiday, if you visit a hospital or clinic due to illness... you may have to pay up to 50% more.

During the Chuseok holiday period, you will need to pay 30-50% more out-of-pocket costs when visiting hospitals, clinics, or pharmacies than usual.

According to the Ministry of Health and Welfare on the 12th, during the five-day Chuseok holiday period (from the 14th to the 18th), the surcharge system for Saturday, nighttime, and holiday medical expenses will be applied.

The surcharge system includes hospitals, clinics, pharmacies, dental clinics, and traditional Korean medicine clinics, allowing all medical institutions to charge additional fees for consultations and prescriptions when providing services during nighttime, Saturday afternoons, or public holidays.

It is a concept of compensation for hospital or pharmacy staff working overtime.

 

Accordingly, on weekdays from 6 PM to before 9 AM the next day, and on Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays all day, medical institutions can charge patients an additional 30-50% on basic consultation fees, anesthesia fees, treatment fees, and surgery fees, while pharmacies can add 30% to dispensing basic fees, dispensing fees, and medication counseling fees.

 

In neighborhood clinics and pharmacies, a 30% surcharge applies not only on Saturday afternoons but also on Saturday mornings (before 1 PM, from 9 AM to 1 PM) for consultations or prescriptions.

 

In particular, if anesthesia, treatment, or surgery is performed in an emergency situation during nighttime or holidays, a 50% surcharge will be added to the medical expenses.

Reporter Woo Hye-in, September 12, 2024, 07:29

 

=============

They say that during holidays or long weekends, medical expenses are increased like this. I guess I have to get sick on the right date too.ㅠ