Hot Issues

Ordinarily Resident Rule for Contractors

8-13-08 The following information was provided by a Daegu-area retiree:
"When the contract comes up for renewal, in order to get a SOFA visa you have to show what kind of visa you had when you were hired. It is somewhat complicated to explain in an e-mail, but what people I know who had problems in my job were working here in Korea as English teachers when hired and had to terminate their employment."
Thanks for this update, John.

VA Announces Online Claims Applications

7-18-08 The Department of Veterans Affairs will now accept online applications from veterans, survivors and other claimants for various benefits without the additional requirement of submitting a signed paper copy of the application.

People can now file initial applications for disability compensation, pension, education, and vocational rehabilitation and employment benefits online. VA will process applications received through its online application Web site, VONAPP, without the claimant's signature. The electronic application will be sufficient authentication of the claimant's application for benefits. Normal development procedures and rules of evidence will still apply to all VONAPP applications.

VONAPP, found at www.va.gov/onlineapps.htm, is a Web-based system that benefits both internal and external users. Veterans, survivors and other claimants seeking compensation, pension, education, or vocational rehabilitation benefits can apply electronically without the constraints of location, postage cost, and time delays in mail delivery.

Officials announced that VONAPP reduces the number of incomplete applications received by VA, decreasing the need for additional development by VA claims processors. The online application also provides a link to apply for VA health care benefits and much more.

More than 3.7 million veterans and beneficiaries receive compensation and pension benefits from VA, and approximately 523,000 students receive education benefits. Approximately 90,000 disabled veterans participate in VA's Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment program.

For more information about VA benefits, go to VA's Web site at www.va.gov or call the toll-free number (800) 827-1000. [Source: VA News Release, Jul 16]

Long-Term Care Insurance in Korea

05-10-08 On May 8, we received a letter from the Korea National Health Insurance Corporation. The letter advised that all persons covered under the National Health Insurance program (including overseas Koreans [F-4 visa] and foreigners [with F series or E series visas, for example]) would be compulsorily covered by long-term care insurance effective from July 1, 2008. (Persons with SOFA [A-3] or Tourist [C-3] visas are ineligible for the National Health Insurance coverage.) The additional cost would be 4.05% of the health insurance premium. The health insurance for foreigners costs about $60 per month per family in 2008. With the addition of long-term care insurance, the $60 cost goes up to $62.43.

There are some questions that need to be answered to understand how the long-term insurance will work. For example, the health insurance covers 60% of allowed costs and TRICARE covers 75% of the remainder for a total of 90% of costs covered. And there are other considerations of what long-term care insurance provides. As one example, the Korean health insurance provides for a six-person room. TRICARE would cover the additional expense of upgrade to a two-person room. One cost factor is clear — any cost share would be yours, since TRICARE would not be covering anything beyond short-term care costs of initial medical treatment. So what would the long-term care insurance provide? What portion of the long-term care costs would be covered by the insurance? Would there be separate facilities or segregated areas of Korean long-term care facilities for the foreigners? Answers to questions such as these, as well as additional details, will be provided when they become available. However, this is a real breakthrough since foreigners have previously be barred from access to long-term care in Korea.

Avian Influenza (Bird Flu) Update

04-22-08 Here is the most up-to-date information that we have on Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI), confirmed and suspected, in the Republic of Korea. Kwangju, Kunsan, and Humphreys are the closest USFK locations to current outbreak farms. See map in PDF format.

The 2008 outbreak is clearly heading towards rivaling the 2003-2004 outbreak for the number of farms that end up positive for the virus. Just as during the last two outbreaks, no human cases of Avian Influenza have been reported.

Our medical advice remains the same: do not visit Korean poultry/water fowl farms; do not observe the slaughter/culling/or butchering of poultry or ater fowl (regardless of the location); do not eat runny eggs that you buy off post; and never eat undercooked chicken, regardless of where you purchase it.

Information provided by Commander, 18th Medical Command

Medicare Hospitalization Warning

04-19-08 For those 65 and over who are considering going back to the U.S. for treatment, The Retired Enlisted Association (TREA) Washington Update of Apr 18 contains the following information:

WARNING: Be Careful Before You Have Any Scheduled Hospitalization
TREA has learned that some hospitals are playing games with Medicare and as a result, some Tricare insureds are ending up owing hospitals large amounts of money. Here are the details.
Recently, some Tricare insureds have gone into the hospital thinking that their medical procedure was covered by both Tricare and Medicare. However, after they go home they discovered that the hospital will not accept Medicare payments.
Since hospitals must accept Medicare if they accept Tricare, why is this happening?
It turns out that the hospitals still accept Tricare, and they still accept Medicare payments if the patient has previously been treated in that hospital. However, they are not accepting any new Medicare patients. Thus, if the Tricare insured has not previously been a patient at that hospital, the patient ends up having to pay the Medicare portion of the bill out of pocket.
Although this seems very unfair to us and is really 'playing games' with Medicare and with patients, it is legal.
Therefore, we warn you to make sure anytime you are having scheduled hospitalization that the hospital will take both Tricare and Medicare if you are a new patient in that hospital.

Some Might Not Receive Stimulus Payment

04-19-08 The April 14 issue of the Air Force Times reported on page 33 that those whose spouse does not have a Social Security Number (SSN) will not be eligible to receive the Stimulus Payment. Many of those living overseas have spouses who use the Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) to file a joint return. Joint returns with an ITIN for either person will not receive the Stimulus Payment. Those who elect to file separately, the article cautioned, should carefully consider that decision. More could be lost in reduced deductions than would be received with the Stimulus Payment.

Computer Gadgets Come from Factory Infected with Viruses

03-16-08 A new threat to computer users has been identified. As reported in this Associated Press story, gadgets that you buy and plug into your computer can carry one or more viruses that can infect your computer and cause serious harm. Read the story and be sure your anti-virus software is regularly updated.

Contractors Require Korean Driver's License

11-11-07 The LostNomad.org web site (which has since closed down) has provided important information to those retirees (and others) who work as contractors. "For my readers who are contractors here in Korea, you probably know by now that we're all required to get a Korean driver's license – something that has always been a requirement but is only now being enforced. My wife and I went up to Suwon today to get mine and I have to say that it was a relatively painless process. BUT: If and when you go, be sure to take a Korean or someone fluent in reading and writing Korean with you to both help you find the driver's license office and to help you fill out the paperwork."

For those living in Areas I and II, instructions from a Yongsan area retiree are provided as follows: "I went to the DMV by using the subway, line 4, and taking it to the World Cup Stadium stop. Go to exit no. 2 when going out the exit turn to your left and go up the escalator. At the top of the escalator turn to your left again and cross the walk bridge. When you reach the road on the other side of the walk bridge you will see a bus stop. Get on the local bus No. 8, this bus will take you to the DMV. The DMV is about 2 kilometers down the road, you will pass some new apartment construction on your right and the bus will turn right just past this construction and stop, you're there."

For those living in Area III, driving instructions are provided by Lost Nomad as follows: "Get off the expressway in Suwon and take the Singal exit when you get to the tollgate; get into one of the lanes toward the right because you'll need to make a right turn as soon as you exit the tollgate. Once you make the right turn, make your way over to the left lane and about 1/2 a mile down, you'll come to an intersection that has 2 left-turn lanes, and there'll be a big green sign. The sign has in English "Everland" pointing to the right, and there's also a big brown sign on the right of the road pointing to Everland. If I remember right, there's also a Lotteria on the far left corner but don't hold me to that. Make a left turn there, and continue on for about 2 kilometers. You'll go under an over pass and start going up a hill. About halfway up the hill, there'll be an intersection with a sign pointing to the left for the driver's license place (in English). Make the left and you're there...find a place to park and head into the large 2-story building to the right and you'll see the International desk."

Updated 03-16-08 I'm sorry to report that the more detailed LostNomad web site information was not retained after the site closed down.