Task force launched to crack down on illegally operated clinics

An investigation task force was launched Monday to crack down on clinics operating illegally under borrowed medical licenses, the prosecution said. The team of 30 personnel from seven agencies, including the prosecution and police, will be tasked with tracking down clinics involved in illegal and excessive medical treatments, resulting in the misuse of national health insurance funds, according to the Supreme Prosecutors Office. The other agencies on the team are the health ministry, the National Health Insurance Service (NHIS), the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service, the National Tax Service and the Financial Supervisory Service. The task force will be based at the Seoul Western District Prosecutors Office and pool the investigation, crackdown and information assets of all the involved agencies to better respond to cases of excessive treatments, false insurance claims and other related crimes. Currently, the NHIS' recovery rate through crackdowns on improper insurance claims stands at 8.79 percent.