November 2026 Health Insurance Dependent Eligibility Reassessment: KRW 20,000,000 Pension and Interest Income Threshold and Regional Premium Calculation
The most important income threshold when reviewing health insurance dependent eligibility in November 2026 is KRW 20,000,000 annually. If public pension income, including National Pension benefits, or interest and dividend income has increased, you need to review the income included in the combined calculation. However, an increase in income does not automatically mean losing dependent status. Property and dependency requirements are also considered.
Based on the regulations and insurance premium rates verified as of 2026-10-16, we will examine the conditions that can affect dependent eligibility and how to calculate premiums after switching to regional subscriber status.
1. How Much Can Pension and Interest Income Increase Before You Lose Dependent Status?
The general income requirement for health insurance dependents is combined annual income of KRW 20,000,000 or less. If annual income exceeds KRW 20,000,000, the income requirement is not met. However, meeting the income threshold alone does not guarantee continued dependent eligibility.
The Enforcement Rules of the National Health Insurance Act require dependents to satisfy both dependency requirements and income and property requirements.
In addition to the general income requirements, separate restrictions apply to business income. Married individuals must also review whether their spouses meet the income requirements.
| Category | Requirement to Check |
|---|---|
| General income requirement | Combined annual income of KRW 20,000,000 or less |
| Property tax assessment base of KRW 540,000,000 or less | Separate income requirements and other conditions must be satisfied |
| Property tax assessment base exceeding KRW 540,000,000 and up to KRW 900,000,000 | Annual income of KRW 10,000,000 or less |
| Business income earned | Check separate restrictions and exceptions |
| Married individuals | Both spouses must meet the income requirements |
Here, property is not assessed directly using an apartment's sale price or market value. Eligibility is determined using the property tax assessment base specified by law.
Property requirements may also vary depending on the dependent's family relationship and dependency conditions. The table above presents general assessment criteria and does not apply identically to every family relationship.
2. Are National Pension Benefits and Bank Interest Calculated the Same Way?
Both National Pension benefits and bank interest must be considered when assessing income for health insurance purposes, but their actual treatment differs.
In particular, the income criteria used to determine dependent eligibility should not be confused with those used to calculate premiums after switching to regional subscriber status.
Check Your National Pension Payments First
People receiving public pensions, including old-age pensions, should check their annual pension income.
For example, if you receive KRW 1,500,000 in National Pension benefits each month, your annual payments total KRW 18,000,000.
This amount alone cannot determine whether you can retain dependent status. You must also check whether you have other income, how much income the National Health Insurance Service recognizes, and whether you meet the property requirements.
The KRW 10,000,000 Threshold Also Matters for Interest and Dividend Income
Separate inclusion thresholds apply to interest and dividend income when calculating income for health insurance purposes.
Article 44 of the Enforcement Rules of the National Health Insurance Act provides that certain combined interest and dividend income totaling KRW 10,000,000 or less is excluded from the calculation of monthly assessable income.
Therefore, earning bank interest does not necessarily mean your health insurance premiums will immediately increase.
You need to check the combined amount of interest and dividends, the types of income involved, and how income records for the relevant year are reflected in the calculation.
3. If You Lose Dependent Status in November 2026, When Do Premium Payments Begin?
The date on which dependent eligibility ends is determined by when the National Health Insurance Service confirms that the eligibility requirements are no longer met and by the applicable statutory grounds for termination.
Article 2 of the Enforcement Rules of the National Health Insurance Act generally specifies that dependent eligibility ends on the day following the date the National Health Insurance Service confirms that the dependent no longer meets the requirements. Separate termination-date provisions apply in certain cases involving income reporting.
Therefore, the fact that income records are reviewed in November does not mean that every affected person's dependent eligibility will necessarily end on November 1 or December 1.
For Regular Income Data Updates in November 2026, Individual Eligibility Termination Dates and the First Month of Premium Assessment Must Be Confirmed Through the National Health Insurance Service's Actual Eligibility Decisions and Billing Notices.
In particular, the following dates may differ.
The date the income was actually earned
The date income records were finalized by the National Tax Service
The date the National Health Insurance Service incorporated the income records
The date dependent eligibility ended
The dates regional subscriber premiums were assessed and became payable
If you receive a notice in November, it is advisable to check the eligibility termination date shown on the notice first.
4. How Much Will Health Insurance Cost After Switching to Regional Subscriber Status?
Regional subscriber health insurance premiums for 2026 are calculated based on income and property.
According to the National Health Insurance Service, the health insurance premium rate for 2026 is 7.19%, and the amount charged per property premium assessment point is KRW 211.5.
The general calculation is as follows.
Monthly Health Insurance Premium = Monthly Assessable Income × 7.19% + Property Premium Assessment Points × KRW 211.5
Long-term care insurance premiums are added to this amount.
The long-term care insurance premium rate for 2026 is 0.9448%, and the calculation ratio applied to health insurance premiums is 0.9448% ÷ 7.19%.
However, actual premiums vary depending on factors such as the proportion of pension income included in the assessment, the method used to calculate financial income, household composition, property deductions, and eligibility for premium reductions.
What Would the Premium Be With Annual Income of KRW 24,000,000?
To understand the calculation, assume a case in which the monthly income subject to premium assessment is KRW 2,000,000 on an annual basis.
This example assumes there is no property-based premium and no separate reductions or exceptions.
| Calculation Item | Monthly Amount |
|---|---|
| Monthly assessable income | KRW 2,000,000 |
| Health insurance premium at 7.19% | KRW 143,800 |
| Long-term care insurance premium | KRW 18,896 |
| Total | KRW 162,696 |
These amounts are arithmetic examples using the official premium rates for 2026.
Even if actual annual pension payments total KRW 24,000,000, the income subject to premium assessment is not necessarily KRW 24,000,000.
Multiplying the entire pension payment amount by 7.19% without considering how public pension income is reflected in premium calculations may produce a result different from the actual billed amount.
The total will also change if property-based premiums apply.
5. Can You Lose Dependent Status Because of Property Even if Annual Income Is KRW 20,000,000 or Less?
Yes. Dependents must meet both income and property requirements.
Under the criteria applicable to general dependency relationships, if the property tax assessment base exceeds KRW 540,000,000 but does not exceed KRW 900,000,000, the annual income requirement becomes stricter, at KRW 10,000,000 or less.
For example, if recognized annual income is KRW 15,000,000 and the property tax assessment base is KRW 600,000,000, the income requirement for that property bracket is not met, even if annual income is below KRW 20,000,000.
By contrast, if the property tax assessment base is KRW 540,000,000 or less, the separate KRW 10,000,000 income restriction for that property bracket does not apply. However, the general income requirements and other eligibility conditions must still be satisfied.
Therefore, you should check your property tax assessment base as well as your pension income.
6. Where Can You Check Whether You Can Retain Dependent Status?
The most accurate approach is to review the income records and eligibility information registered with the National Health Insurance Service.
First, check your current health insurance eligibility through the National Health Insurance Service website or mobile service.
Next, review the income and property records applied by the Service and compare them with your pension payment statements and financial income records.
In particular, you should check the following items separately.
1. The tax year to which the income used to assess dependent eligibility belongs
2. The amount of public pension income, including National Pension benefits, included in the assessment
3. The combined amount of interest and dividend income and whether it is included
4. The property tax assessment base and applicable property requirements
5. The eligibility termination date determined by the Service and the premium assessment details
If your actual income has decreased or differs from the information reflected in the Service's records, you can prepare supporting documents and inquire whether income adjustments or eligibility-related procedures apply.
The National Health Insurance Service customer service number is 1577-1000.
7. What Should You Check First Before the November 2026 Reassessment?
The first thing to check is not how much your pension or interest income has increased, but the amount of annual income included in the health insurance eligibility assessment.
You should check whether your annual income exceeds KRW 20,000,000, whether your property tax assessment base exceeds KRW 540,000,000, and whether business income or your spouse's income creates any eligibility issues.
If you switch to regional subscriber status, the 2026 health insurance premium rate of 7.19% and the property premium amount of KRW 211.5 per assessment point apply. However, the actual premium depends on your monthly assessable income and property assessment points.
After income records are updated in November, the most important step is to confirm your individual eligibility termination date and premium billing details directly with the National Health Insurance Service.
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