• Health Policy and Management
• /
• v.15 no.4
• /
• pp.65-80
• /
• 2005

This study examines the effects of supplemental insurance on health care utilization and expenditures among cancer patients, who were hospitalized in a general hospital in Korea 2003. We find that those who purchase the supplemental insurance in addition to the social health insurance use more health care services and pay more than those who do not, suggesting insurance effects. This paper, however, cannot distinguish the moral effects of the health insurance from the selection effects due to adverse selection.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
• /
• v.11 no.5
• /
• pp.270-279
• /
• 2011

This study to analyze differences of cancer patient's health utilizations in medical aid program and national health insurance by analysing health insurance claims data, and identify effects of health care systems. The majors results of the research were as follows. First, cancer patients in medical aid program more used total medical expenditures than in national health insurance mostly by many outpatient visits and long term hospitalization. Second, results of multiple regression, cancer patients in medical aid program more used total expenditures and inpatient expenditures. But, outpatient expenditures weren't different, cancer patients in medical aid program more visited medical institutions and hospitalized long term periods than in national health insurance. Therefore, it is too early to conclude that moral hazard is in health utilizations of medical aid program, because cancer patients in medical aid program many use in benefits for many nonbenefit burdens.

• Journal of Korean Public Health Nursing
• /
• v.31 no.1
• /
• pp.5-18
• /
• 2017

Purpose: This study was conducted to suggest a method for financial projection of health insurance expenditures that reflects future changes in demographic structure. Methods: Using data associated with the number of patients and health insurance cost per patient, generalized linear models (GLM) were fitted with demographic explanatory variables. Models were constructed separately for individual medical departments, types of medical service, and types of public health insurance. Goodness-of-fit of most of the applied GLM models was quite satisfactory. By combining estimates of frequency and severity from the constructed models and results of the population projection, total annual health insurance expenditures were projected through year 2060. Results: Expenditures for medical departments associated with diseases that are more frequent in elderly peoples are expected to increase steeply, leading to considerable increases in overall health insurance expenditures. The suggested method can contribute to improvement of the accuracy of financial projection. Conclusion: The overall demands for medical service, medical personnel, and relevant facilities in the future are expected to increase as the proportion of elderly people increases. Application of a more reasonable estimation method reflecting changes in demographic structure will help develop health policies relevant to above mentioned resources.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
• /
• v.55 no.4
• /
• pp.379-388
• /
• 2022

Objectives: Throughout history, societies have been impacted by inequality. Many studies have been conducted on the topic more broadly, but only a few have investigated inequalities in out-of-pocket health payments (OHP). This study measures OHP inequality trends among the Iranian households. Methods: This study used data from the Iranian Statistics Center on Iranian household income and expenditures. The analysis included a total of 995 300 households during the 36 years from 1984 to 2019. The Gini coefficient, Atkinson index, and Theil index were calculated for Iranian OHP. Results: Average Iranian household OHP increased from 33 US dollar (USD) in 1984 to 47 USD in 2019. During this 36-year span, the average±standard deviation Gini coefficient for OHP was 0.73±0.04, and the Atkinson and Theil indexes were 0.68±0.05 and 1.14±0.29, respectively. The Gini coefficients for the subcategories of OHP of outpatient diagnostic services, medical assistant accessories, hospital inpatient services, and addiction cessation were 0.70, 0.61, 0.84, and 0.64, respectively. Conclusions: In this study, we scrutinized trends of inequality in the OHP of Iranian households. Inequality in OHP decreased slightly over the past four decades. An analysis of trends among different subgroups revealed that affluent households, such as households with insurance coverage and households in higher income deciles, experienced higher inequality. Therefore, lower inequality in health care expenditures may be related to restricted access to health care services in Iran.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
• /
• v.28 no.1 s.49
• /
• pp.207-223
• /
• 1995

A new medical delivery system which regulated outpatient department(OPD) use from tertiary care hospitals was adopted in 1989. Under the new system, patients using tertiary care hospital OPD without referral slip from clinics or hospitals could not get any insurance benefit for the services received from the tertiary care hospital. This study was conducted to evaluate the Patient Referral System(PRS) with respect to health care expenditures and utilization. Two data sets were used in this study. One was monthly data set(from January 1986 to December 1992) from the Annual Report of Korea Medical Insurance Corporation(KMIC). The other was monthly joint data set composed of personal data of which 10% were selected randomly with their utilization data of KMIC from January 1988 to December 1992. The data were analyzed by time-series intervention model of SAS-ETS. The results of this study were as follows: 1. There was no statistically significant changes in per capita expenditures following PRS. 2. Utilization episodes per capita was increased statistically significantly after implementation of PRS. The use of clinics and hospitals increased significantly, whereas in tertiary care hospitals the use decreased significantly immediately after implementation of PRS and increased afterwards. 3. Follow-up visits per episode were decreased statistically significantly after implementation of PRS. The decrease of follow-up visits per episode were remarkable in clinics and hospitals, whereas in tertiary care hospitals it was increased significantly after implementation of PRS. 4. There was no statistically significant changes in prescribing days per episode following PRS. Futhermore, clinics and hospitals showed a statistically significant decrease in prescribing days per episode, whereas in tertiary care hospital it showed statistically significant increase after implementation of PRS. 5. Except high income class, the use of tertiary care hospitals showed statistically significant decrease after implementation of PRS. The degree of decrease in the use of tertiary care hospitals was inversely proportional to income. These results suggest that the PRS policy was not efficient because per capita expenditures did not decrease, and was not effective because utilization episodes per capita, follow-up visits per episode. and prescribing days per episode were not predictable and failed to show proper utilization. It was somewhat positive that utilization episodes per capita were decreased temporarily in tertiary care hospitals. And PRS policy was not appropriate because utilization episodes per capita was different among income groups. In conclusion, the PRS should be revised for initial goal attainment of cost containment and proper health care utilization.

• Health Policy and Management
• /
• v.18 no.3
• /
• pp.110-127
• /
• 2008

Expenditures on pharmaceuticals of different concepts were estimated and their functional, financing and providers' breakdowns were examined in line with the OECD's System of Health Accounts (SHA) manual. This study also shows the way such estimates are made. The results are then analyzed particularly from the international perspective. Data from both Household Survey by the National Statistical Office and the National Health and Nutritional Survey by the Ministry of Health and Welfare of Korea were used to estimate pharmaceutical expenditures that. are financed by out-of-pocket payments of the household, while national health insurance data etc. were used for estimation of pharmaceutical expenditures that are financed by public funding sources. The 'per capita expenditure on pharmaceutical/medical non-durables' in Korea stood at 380 US$ PPPs, less than the OECD average of 443 US$ PPPs in 2006, but its share of the per capita health expenditure of 25.9% noticeably outnumbered the OECD average of 17.1%, due partly to low per capita health expenditure as a denominator of the ratio. This indicates that Koreans tend to spend less on health care than an OECD average, while tending to spend more on pharmaceuticals than on other health care services, much like the pattern found in relatively low income countries. An international pharmaceuticals pricing mechanism is most likely responsible for such a tendency. In addition, it is to be noted that the percentage comes down to 21.0%, when expenditures on both medical non-durables and herbal medicine, which is locally quite popular among the elderly, have been excluded.

• Korean Journal of Occupational Health Nursing
• /
• v.21 no.3
• /
• pp.209-220
• /
• 2012

Purpose: This study examined the influencing factors for metabolic syndrome and the annual medical expenditures of metabolic syndrome among public officials. Methods: The National Health Insurance data in 2009 were collected for 364,932 public officials and the heath examination results and annual medical expenditures were analyzed using PASW 18.0 program. Results: The prevalence of metabolic syndrome is 17.6%, and it was higher in male officials than that of females in all age groups. In men, the influencing factors for metabolic syndrome were: age, family history of stroke, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, and diabetes mellitus, smoking, alcohol consumption, exercise, and obesity. However, in women, health-related behaviors such as smoking, alcohol consumption and exercise did not affect metabolic syndrome. People who had metabolic syndrome showed significantly higher medical expenditures than those without metabolic syndrome. The odds ratios of having the highest quartile in medical expenditures were 1.372 (95% CI 1.252~1.504, p<.001) in women with metabolic syndrome and 1.213 (95% CI: 1.184~1.243, p<.001) in men. Conclusion: The results implied that health-related behaviors were associated with metabolic syndrome, and resulted in higher medical expenditures. In order not only to decrease the risk of metabolic syndrome but also reduce medical expenditures, nurses should plan health promotion strategies to educate public officials about healthy life strategies.

• Journal of the Korean Home Economics Association
• /
• v.39 no.3
• /
• pp.93-105
• /
• 2001

The purpose of this study was to examine the factors associated with health insurance expenditures of the employed in the US. The data were from the 1994 Consumer Expenditure Surrey and the sample selected was admits aged 18 to 64 who were either a single head of household or part of a married couple. Results of Tobit regression indicated that age, education, and occupation of household head, region of residence, number of earners, homeownership(as a proxy for wealth), total expenditure(as a proxy for income), health care expenditures(as a proxy for health status) are significantly related to out-of-pocket health insurance expenditures by the employed.

• The Journal of the Korean dental association
• /
• v.52 no.5
• /
• pp.291-301
• /
• 2014

Korea Health Panel Survey (KHPS) has been conducted to provide nationally representative estimates of health care use and expenditures for non-institutionalized population in Korea since 2008. The aim of this study was to present estimates from KHPS on dental utilization and expenditures from 2008 to 2011. While weighted estimates were presented for each year from 2008 to 2011, the focus of this study was on the 2011 estimates and changes in dental utilization and expenditures between 2008 and 2011. Weighted estimates were obtained using population weights and statistical significances were analysed by independent t-test or ANOVA test using SPSS version 20 for Windows. In 2011, 21.1% of Korean population obtained outpatient dental services from dentists. From 2008 to 2011, the percent of people with a dental visit in each year increased slightly. In 2011, the mean number of dental visits was 4.46. While the mean number of dental visits remained stable by 2010, it increased slightly in 2011. The total annual dental expense in 2011 for people with a visit was about 460,000 Korean Won and 10% higher in 2008. In summary, this study results highlight low rates of dental utilization and high dental expenses in Korean population.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
• /
• v.50 no.2
• /
• pp.91-99
• /
• 2017

Objectives: As in many low-income and middle-income countries, out-of-pocket (OOP) payments by patients or their families are a key healthcare financing mechanism in Bangladesh that leads to economic burdens for households. The objective of this study was to identify whether and to what extent socioeconomic, demographic, and behavioral factors of the population had an impact on OOP expenditures in Bangladesh. Methods: A total of 12 400 patients who had paid to receive any type of healthcare services within the previous 30 days were analyzed from the Bangladesh Household Income and Expenditure Survey data, 2010. We employed regression analysis for identify factors influencing OOP health expenditures using the ordinary least square method. Results: The mean total OOP healthcare expenditures was US dollar (USD) 27.66; while, the cost of medicines (USD 16.98) was the highest cost driver (61% of total OOP healthcare expenditure). In addition, this study identified age, sex, marital status, place of residence, and family wealth as significant factors associated with higher OOP healthcare expenditures. In contrary, unemployment and not receiving financial social benefits were inversely associated with OOP expenditures. Conclusions: The findings of this study can help decision-makers by clarifying the determinants of OOP, discussing the mechanisms driving these determinants, and there by underscoring the need to develop policy options for building stronger financial protection mechanisms. The government should consider devoting more resources to providing free or subsidized care. In parallel with government action, the development of other prudential and sustainable risk-pooling mechanisms may help attract enthusiastic subscribers to community-based health insurance schemes.