한국과 일본의 의료보험개혁 비교연구

A Study on the Public Health Insurance Reform between Korean and Japan- focused on New Institutionalism -

This study focuses on reform processes, especially fundamental system reform of health insurance to help making an alternatives for our health insurance reforms, especially between health insurance system unification of 1990s in Korean and fundamental reform of health insurance system of 2006 in Japan by “path dependence” and “veto point” of conceptualization of new institutionalism. The implication in our health insurance reform of this study, suggested from the results is as follow. First, even if there are similar to the institute titles both countries, there are different administration systems in specific. Second, analysis on path dependency show big differences between Korea and Japan on the process of health insurance reform recently. Especially, Japan just continues muddling through for initial program of public insurance, but Korea finally have succeeded unification of managing system of health insurance of 1997. So our reform process are more active and dynamic, and more fundamental than Japan. Finally, analysis on veto point by Bonoli’s 4 dimensions, there are differences two countries. Fundamentally Japanese political systems had no chances for minority party to participate government major policy process during 50years from 1955 to 2003. Veto point of our country attracted public generals and policy actors to make new institution and making alternatives until 1990. But Recently political environments of Korea and Japan were changed by political reform 1997 and 2003 respectively. So Korea have more veto points, opposite political party s ability, activating of non-profit organization, and general election systems than Japan.