Document

In South Korea, the “Moon Care” policy was implemented in 2017 with the goal of reducing co-payment rates for healthcare costs by expanding national health insurance coverage up to 70%, in order to protect citizens from financial hardship due to healthcare utilization. In addition, the policy aimed to include all previously non-covered medical services under health insurance, while eliminating three major non-covered items: optional medical procedures, advanced hospital room fees, and nursing fees. This study evaluates the impact of “Moon Care,” focusing on changes in health expenditures following its implementation, and aims to provide empirical evidence to inform future policies designed to strengthen the national health insurance system.