Abstract
The current method of rate adjustment for inflation is based on the evaluation of the financial performance of hospitals. The method has the disadvantage such as too complicated, expensive process as well as low reliability. This study, therefore, develops the 'Korean Medical Insurance Economic Index(MIEI)' as a new model for the rate adjustment with the use of the macro economic indices. In addition, we calculate the 1992∼1998 rate adjustment with the MIEI, and examines the validity of the MIEI by comparing with the conventional method. Medical costs are classified into nine categories : physician salaries, nurse·pharmacist·medical technician salaries, assistants & others salaries, material cost(by imports), material cost(by domestics), depreciation & rent paid(by imports), depreciation & rent paid(by domestics), power utilities, other administrative costs. Then the category weight which is the ratio of category in the total cost is calculated. Macro economic indices are selected for each cost category in order to reflect the concept of the each cost category and inflation during the year of 1992∼1998. Finally MIEI which integrate all category according to the category weight and selected macro indices is calculated. The mean of hospital MIEI which weighting by amount paid by insurers was cacluated. The result from the application of empirical data to the MIEI model is very similar to that of the current method. Furthermore, this method is very simple and also easy to get social consensus. This MIEI model can be replaced the current method based on the analysis of the financial performance for the adjustment of medical fees.
