North Korea is planning to transition from its nominally free healthcare system to a medical insurance model. The regime has assigned the task of rebuilding the healthcare system to the Cabinet’s Health Ministry and Workers’ Party departments. The new system will require employees at various agencies and enterprises to enroll in medical insurance, with premiums deducted from their monthly wages. The regime is also considering allowing North Koreans without an official workplace to receive insurance benefits through working family members who are insured.<\/p>\n
The introduction of medical insurance represents a shift from the state covering the entirety of medical expenses to a system in which costs are split with individuals. People enrolled in basic insurance will receive basic treatment at prices set by the state, but out-of-pocket costs may increase for hospitalization or specialized treatment. The regime is also planning to issue “social security medical insurance cards” to manage individuals’ medical history and treatment records.<\/p>\n
The adoption of medical insurance is seen as a way to stabilize medical expenses and address the operational difficulties faced by new hospitals and pharmacies. The regime has concluded that the current system is not viable and has decided to introduce medical health insurance to address these challenges. The introduction of medical insurance may be connected to the vision of a “public health revolution” announced by North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.<\/p>\n
The key variables in the new system will be the level of insurance premiums and the level of out-of-pocket spending for treatment and medication. The regime has not yet made concrete decisions on these matters, and struggling households and those without an official job may be skeptical about the introduction of medical insurance. Despite the introduction of medical insurance, the regime is expected to continue to espouse the socialist vision of free care, even as the country moves to a system of managed public health care based on medical insurance.<\/p>\n
The use of medical insurance cards will enable the medical authorities to track treatment and integrate medical records at all levels, from neighborhood clinics to top-tier hospitals. This will give the authorities a top-down view of who has been treated, what treatment they’ve received, and where they got it. The introduction of medical insurance is a significant development in North Korea’s healthcare system, and its impact will depend on the details of the new system and how it is implemented.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
North Korea is planning to transition from its nominally free healthcare system to a medical insurance model. The regime has assigned the task of rebuilding the healthcare system to the Cabinet’s Health Ministry and Workers’ Party departments. The new system will require employees at various agencies and enterprises to enroll in medical insurance, with premiums […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"fifu_image_url":"","fifu_image_alt":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[31,22],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-222705","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-care","category-insurance"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p9ibIB-VW1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":222744,"url":"https:\/\/smallnews.in\/insurance\/2026\/01\/27\/health-insurance-home-loans-and-preventive-care-benefits-are-the-top-demands-of-taxpayers\/","url_meta":{"origin":222705,"position":0},"title":"Health Insurance, Home Loans, and Preventive Care Benefits are the top demands of taxpayers.","author":"Team Small News","date":"January 27, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"As the Union Budget 2026-27 approaches, Expectations are high among salaried individuals, senior citizens, and high-income earners for significant changes in the new tax regime. With rising living costs, medical inflation, and housing expenses putting pressure on household budgets, tax experts believe the government has an opportunity to fine-tune the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Care"","block_context":{"text":"Care","link":"https:\/\/smallnews.in\/insurance\/category\/care\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":222683,"url":"https:\/\/smallnews.in\/insurance\/2026\/01\/16\/trump-unveils-great-healthcare-plan-outlines-diverse-set-of-initiatives\/","url_meta":{"origin":222705,"position":1},"title":"Trump Unveils ‘Great Healthcare Plan’, Outlines Diverse Set of Initiatives","author":"Team Small News","date":"January 16, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"President Trump has unveiled his \"Great Healthcare Plan\", a collection of initiatives aimed at improving the US healthcare system. The plan, announced at a rally in North Carolina, is a grab bag of proposals that include expanding health savings accounts, increasing transparency in medical billing, and lowering prescription drug costs.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Care"","block_context":{"text":"Care","link":"https:\/\/smallnews.in\/insurance\/category\/care\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":222511,"url":"https:\/\/smallnews.in\/insurance\/2025\/12\/25\/were-stuck-with-health-insurance-but-we-can-improve-it\/","url_meta":{"origin":222705,"position":2},"title":"We’re Stuck With Health Insurance\u2014But We Can Improve It","author":"Team Small News","date":"December 25, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"The proportion of healthcare services purchased through insurance has increased significantly over the past century, thanks to tax exemptions for employer-sponsored benefits. This has led to a surge in spending on treatment, as consumers are insulated from the cost of services. However, making patients bear more of their costs out\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Care"","block_context":{"text":"Care","link":"https:\/\/smallnews.in\/insurance\/category\/care\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":222487,"url":"https:\/\/smallnews.in\/insurance\/2025\/12\/23\/iowa-doctor-addresses-rising-health-insurance-costs-and-physician-shortages-kcci\/","url_meta":{"origin":222705,"position":3},"title":"Iowa doctor addresses rising health insurance costs and physician shortages – KCCI","author":"Team Small News","date":"December 23, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"A recent report by KCCI highlights the concerns of a Iowa doctor regarding the rising health insurance costs and physician shortages in the state. The doctor, who wishes to remain anonymous, expressed frustration with the current healthcare system, stating that it is becoming increasingly difficult for patients to access affordable\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Care"","block_context":{"text":"Care","link":"https:\/\/smallnews.in\/insurance\/category\/care\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":222776,"url":"https:\/\/smallnews.in\/insurance\/2026\/02\/10\/as-healthcare-costs-continue-to-rise-the-need-for-effective-regulation-of-the-insurance-industry-has-become-increasingly-important-with-medical-expenses-skyrocketing-the-burden-on-individuals-fami\/","url_meta":{"origin":222705,"position":4},"title":"As healthcare costs continue to rise, the need for effective regulation of the insurance industry has become increasingly important. With medical expenses skyrocketing, the burden on individuals, families, and businesses is growing, making it essential to oversee insurance providers to ensure they are operating fairly and in the best interest of their policyholders. Regulations can help prevent exploitative practices, promote transparency, and guarantee that insurance companies are providing adequate coverage to those who need it. By regulating the insurance industry, governments can help mitigate the financial strain of rising healthcare costs and safeguard the well-being of their citizens.","author":"Team Small News","date":"February 10, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"A recent report found that approximately one in five health care claims in Massachusetts were rejected in 2024, highlighting the challenges that many people face in accessing health care services due to insurance issues. In response, the state has introduced new regulations aimed at reducing administrative burdens and improving patient\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Care"","block_context":{"text":"Care","link":"https:\/\/smallnews.in\/insurance\/category\/care\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":222468,"url":"https:\/\/smallnews.in\/insurance\/2025\/12\/21\/the-increasing-expense-of-health-insurance-can-be-attributed-to-several-factors-1-rising-healthcare-costs-as-medical-technologies-advance-and-new-treatments-emerge-the-cost-of-providing-healthca\/","url_meta":{"origin":222705,"position":5},"title":"The increasing expense of health insurance can be attributed to several factors. \n\n1. Rising healthcare costs: As medical technologies advance and new treatments emerge, the cost of providing healthcare services increases. \n2. Aging population: Older adults tend to require more medical care, which drives up costs. \n3. Increased demand for healthcare services: The Affordable Care Act (ACA) has led to more people having health insurance, resulting in higher demand for healthcare services and, subsequently, higher costs. \n4. Pharmaceutical costs: The development and production of new, often expensive, medications contribute to rising healthcare costs. \n5. Administrative costs: The complexity of the healthcare system and the need for administrative staff to manage insurance claims, billing, and other tasks add to the overall expense. \n6. Profit margins: Insurance companies aim to make a profit, which is factored into the cost of premiums. \n7. Government policies and regulations: Changes in government policies, such as the repeal of the ACA’s individual mandate, can impact the health insurance market and drive up costs. \n8. Provider consolidation: As healthcare providers consolidate, they gain more negotiating power with insurance companies, potentially leading to higher costs. \n9. Lack of transparency: The opacity of healthcare pricing makes it difficult for consumers to make informed decisions, which can contribute to higher costs. \n10. Inefficient payment systems: The current fee-for-service payment model can encourage unnecessary treatments and procedures, driving up costs. \n\nThese factors combined create a complex and often expensive healthcare system, leading to increasing health insurance costs.","author":"Team Small News","date":"December 21, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"The cost of health insurance is increasing, and several factors are contributing to this trend. According to a report by Axios, the main drivers of rising health insurance costs are: Rising healthcare costs: The cost of medical care is increasing, driven by factors such as an aging population, the growing\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Care"","block_context":{"text":"Care","link":"https:\/\/smallnews.in\/insurance\/category\/care\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/smallnews.in\/insurance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/222705","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/smallnews.in\/insurance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/smallnews.in\/insurance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/smallnews.in\/insurance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/smallnews.in\/insurance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=222705"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/smallnews.in\/insurance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/222705\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/smallnews.in\/insurance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=222705"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/smallnews.in\/insurance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=222705"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/smallnews.in\/insurance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=222705"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}