# Why do prices differ between clinics and tertiary hospitals?

> Clinic and tertiary hospital prices differ because the two types have different roles, staffing, equipment and patient mix.

Comparing ranges within the same hospital type is usually more meaningful than comparing across types.

Written by the Korea Non-covered Medical Price Statistics editorial team on October 21, 2026. Canonical address: https://kmedprice.org/articles/clinic-vs-tertiary-prices.

## What roles do the four hospital types play?

Clinics provide outpatient care; tertiary hospitals handle severe and complex conditions.

## Which costs differ by hospital type?

Staffing, equipment, overheads and the share of complex cases.

## Why compare within the same type?

Institutions of the same type offer more similar services and cost structures.

## Does insurance treat hospital types differently?

Yes. Co-payment rates and referral rules differ by hospital type for covered care.

## Should price decide which type to visit?

No. The right level of care depends on the condition and a doctor’s advice.

## What should you read next?

- [Does a higher price mean better care?](https://kmedprice.org/articles/higher-price-better-care)
- [Why do we show price ranges, not hospital names?](https://kmedprice.org/articles/why-ranges-not-names)
- [Non-covered medical prices by region](https://kmedprice.org/statistics/by-region)
- [Non-covered prices by hospital type](https://kmedprice.org/statistics/by-hospital-type)

## Where do these numbers come from?

- [Non-covered medical fee disclosure (by item and institution)](https://www.hira.or.kr/npay/index.do) - Health Insurance Review & Assessment Service (HIRA)
- [Medical Service Act (Articles 27, 45, 56)](https://www.law.go.kr/법령/의료법) - Korea Law Information Center
- [National Health Insurance Statistical Yearbook](https://www.nhis.or.kr/nhis/together/wbhaec06300m01.do) - National Health Insurance Service (NHIS)