교민들 한국에 가서 건강보험 이용

국민건강보험공단이 발표한 자료에 따르면 2007년 12월말 현재 한국 건강보험에 가입한 재외국민은 2만2146명이다. 이는 지난 2001년 2700명에 비하면 무려 8배가 늘어난 것. 재외국민 대부분은 미국 영주권자다. 자료에 따르면 미주한인 3만여 명이 한국 건강보험 혜택을 받고 있는 것으로 관계당국은 파악하고 있다.

외국인과 재외국민을 합한 건강보험 적용자는 2003년 13만명을 넘어선 뒤 다음해 해 21만명을 넘었고 지난해 32만명으로 늘었다.

시민권자 및 영주권자 한인은 한국서 취업 또는 유학, 연수 등 한달이상 장기 체류할 경우에 건강보험 가입이 가능하다. 재외동포 비자(F-4)를 받아 주소지에서 거소신고를 하면 건강보험에 가입할 수 있다. 비용은 한달에 6만원(평균보험료)꼴로 저렴하다.

한국 건강보험 적용을 받고 있는 시민권자 및 영주권자들에 따르면 ‘싸고 편리하다’는 것이 가장 큰 매력이다. 적은 보험료를 내고 특정 전문의를 언제든지 찾아 갈 수 있다는 것이다. 하지만 한국 건강보험을 악용하는 사례도 적지 않은 것으로 당국은 파악하고 있다. 이 제도를 악용해 특별한 사유없이 장기체류하며 건강보험의 혜택을 보는 재외동포들도 많은모양이다.

아이비리그 명문대 학비 면제 경쟁

No Tuition for Lower-Income Students at Brown Univ.

Great news! Brown University is eliminating tuition for students whose parents earn less than $60,000!!!

The university also plans to substitute grants for student loans in the financial aid packages of students whose families earned less than $100,000 a year. The new program could cut reliance on loans for most students.

Brown's tuition for the 2008-9 academic year is $36,928.
With room and board, the costs are $47,740 for one year.

Brown is following similar moves by Harvard, Yale, Dartmouth and Stanford as their endowments grew significantly in recent years. And the trend is likely to continue for the top private universities with huge endowments.

Homeless and Downtown Condos

As you all know 2,500(so it seems!) condos are popping up in Downtown Nashville, where you can easily spot homeless people during day and night, especially around the Public Library.
And, it's only natural as more professional white collars move into Downtown, the city officials will help make the place safer by driving these eye-sores/potential-criminals(in many people's view) out. (i am so used to NYC sidewalks, these poor people don't bother me as much as inner-city teenage thugs.)
But where do they end up? They don't just die out like weeds. Actually, like weeds, they will keep coming back.
Check out Nashville Scene for an interesting read about this problem.

February 2008

February 2008 issue is out! Pick up a copy at your nearest Korean markets, restaurants, CPA offices or call/email us if you want to receive one in the mail.

Donation Drive For Storm Victims At LP Field

Here's your chance to help out the neighbors who are affected by the tornados.
The Mayor's Office Of Emergency Management and local organizations will have a donation drive this weekend to benefit storm victims in the parking lots of LP Field.

The drive will take place 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

Several Tennessee Titans players and cheerleaders will serve as volunteers from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday.

The items requested for donation:
flashlights, batteries, non-perishable food, bottled water, shoes, socks, hygiene products, cleaning supplies, diapers, baby formula, baby wipes, towelettes, hand sanitizer, gloves, pillows, trash bags, clean blankets and linens, coolers, brooms, wheelbarrows and tools such as hammers, rakes, shovels, chainsaws and other hardware.