universal access to health insurance was achieved in a very short time span through multiple insurance funds which were consolidated into a single fund in this has created a strong institutional framework this helps explain the rapid growth of health care spending per capita at an average rate of per year since faster than any other oecd country and more than double the oecd average of per year over the same period today korea is one of the most competitive markets for health care amongst oecd countries with a growing hospital sector health care is dominated by private providers and there is little regulation on the scope of practice for hospitals and ambulatory care the government barely intervenes to influence the location of services compared to other oecd countries