Hospitals for industrial disasters overcharge medical examination fees

According to audit and inspection materials submitted by the Korea Labor Welfare Corp. under the Ministry of Labor to the National Assembly¡¯s environment and labor committee representative, Han Myung-Sook of the Millennium Democratic Party, 4,238 hospitals designated for industrial disasters nationwide overcharged medical examination fees by over 14.7 billion won in 1998 and over 9.5 billion won in 1999. This corresponds to 3-4% of the total medical fees charged to industrial disaster patients and exceeds general medical insurance fees by 1.3%-1.5%. Representative Han revealed that out of 113 hospitals designated for industrial disasters by the Labor Welfare Corp., 71 or 62.8% excessively and falsely charged medical fees.

Representative Han further revealed that warning notices have been sent to 49 hospitals, a restriction was imposed on one hospital and three hospitals were revoked of the designation status.