S. Korea to place 5-pct cap on foreign patients seeking hospital treatment

SEOUL, Feb. 9 (Yonhap) -- The South Korean government said Monday that it will
limit the number of foreign patients in the country to 5 percent of total
capacity at the nation's large-sized hospitals.
The move is intended to prevent disadvantages for local patients, including
difficulty in obtaining high-quality medical treatment due to the growing number
of foreigners seeking medical care here, according to the health ministry.
Under a bill proposed by the ministry, the 5-percent cap will be applied to a
total of 44 top-ranking hospitals, including Seoul National University Hospital
and Samsung Medical Center. There will be no cap placed on foreigners seeking
medical services from hospitals as outpatients, it said.
kokobj@yna.co.kr
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