• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.25 no.1 s.37
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• pp.64-72
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• 1992

To provide the information necessary for the insurance medicine management plan, price discount rates among the insurance medicines were studied. A total of 2,107 items of insurance medicine of which prices were discounted via governmental inspections of real transactional process of insurance medicine were analysed. The conclusions are as follows; 1. Among the variables relevant to the characteristics of manufacturers, price discount rates of insurance medicines were statistically significant with production rankings of manufacturers, incorporation year, existence of investments by foreign corporation, existence of a research institute, and enrollment in the exchange. And among the variables relevant to the properties of medicines, the number of enrolled items which have the same components, classification, the date of new enrollment, the sales of items, and the number of raw materials in the items were statistically significant. 2. Stepwise multiple regression was done to identify the factors which affect the price discount rates of insurance medicines. The number of enrolled items which have the same components, production rankings of manufactures, classification number (medicines for function of tissue cells), incorporation year(1940-1949), existence of investments by foreign corporations, classification number (anti-germ medicines), number of raw materials In the items, the sales of items, and medicines whose major objective is not treatment were significant variables and the $R^2$-value for these variables was 21.2%. Considering all of the above results, for management of insurance medicines, it seems important that the real transactional prices of insurance medicines should be identified systematically, focusing on the properties which affect the price discount rates of insurance medicines.

• Journal of Society of Preventive Korean Medicine
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.25-41
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• 2022

Background & Objectives : As the government of South Korea implemented policies to strengthen health insurance coverage, the health insurance benefit for raw herbal medicines has been promoted. This study investigated the current status of the herbal medicines coverage in the Japanese national health insurance to secure reference data for the design of herbal medicines coverage in South Korea. Methods : Literature review was conducted to collect and analyze the history and current situation on herbal medicines coverage in the Japanese health insurance system. To supplement the contents not presented in the documents, on-site interviews were conducted at the medical institutions and pharmacies that prescribed or prepared herbal medicines in Tokyo, Japan. The contents of the survey included the background and progress of the herbal medicines coverage, the status of herbal medicines use, the payment system, and the safety management of herbal medicines. Results : Since the introduction of health insurance in the 1960s, Japanese insurance system has covered herbal medicines, and so far, it has been maintained without any additional restrictions. When the raw herbal medicines are prescribed to outpatients, the preparation fee is set higher than that of other medicines, but overall payment regulations and systems for herbal medicine are generally the same as other medicines. Conclusions : The case of Japan can be a useful references and implications for national health insurance policy on herbal medicines in south Korea.

• Journal of Society of Preventive Korean Medicine
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.113-144
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• 1998

Through the sociological approach on the Oriental Medical Insurance, 1 has reflected on the necessity and propriety of the Herb-pack Medicine Insurance, what the government and the Oriental Medicines as the main organization of it should think about. So I come to the conclusion as follows ; First, medical sociological approach must precede the study on the Herb-pack Medicine Insurance and in the process concrete, political problem must be solved. Second, although the Oriental Medicines has a different way from the Western Medicines, it comes to take up a part of health service field with its independent efforts. And coming changes count on whether the Oriental Medicines exert independently or not. Third, due to the original limit of the Oriental Medical Insurance, it has little effect on the Oriental Medicine Service's popularization and development. Yet bit gives the opportunity to present where the Oriental medicines should go and the way to develop it is the practice of the Herb-pack Medicine Insurance. fourth, so it can be said that the practice of the Herb-pack Medicine Insuranceis our important plan which can not only make the Oriental Medicines improve as the professional jods but also solve the contradiction of the Korea Medicines

• Herbal Formula Science
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.43-56
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• 2010

Objective : There is a growing need to expand or adjust insurance coverage of herbal prescriptions in National Health Insurance. The purpose of this study was to provide basic data for expansions or adjustments of 56 herbal prescriptions in the National Health Insurance. Method : We surveyed lists of 56 insurance-covered herbal prescriptions, non-covered company-produced herbal medicines and self-prepared herbal medicines in 531 traditional korean medical clinics by mail from 6/1/2008 to 12/9/2008. Result : Among the 56 Prescriptions, Ojeok-san was stocked in 66.7% of clinics (1st), Samso-eum ranked 2nd, Socheongnyong-tang ranked 3rd, Gumiganghwal-tang was 4th, Hyangsapyeongwi-san ranked 5th. Among the non-covered company-produced herbal medicines, Danggwisu-san ranked 1st, Gwakyangjeonggi-san ranked 2nd, Oryeong-san was 3rd, Bangpungtongseong-san was 4th, Maengmundong-tang ranked 5th. Among the self-prepared herbal medicines, Gongjin-dan ranked 1st, Soche-hwan was 2nd, Gyejibongnyeong-hwan was 3rd, Yeongsin-hwan was 4th, Palmi-hwan ranked 5th. Conclusions : It is reasonable to select frequently used company-produced or self-prepared herbal prescriptions in this stock rate survey for improvement of National Health Insurance coverage.

• Journal of Society of Preventive Korean Medicine
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.113-126
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• 2009

Objective : This research aimed to investigate and analyze the opinions of Oriental Medical Doctors (O.M.D.) on covering herbal medicines into National Health Insurance scheme. Methods : Structured questionnaires were e-mailed to the O.M.D.s listed on member's DB of the Association of Korean Oriental Medicine. Collected data were analyzed with the SPSS 12.0 program. Results : The insurance coverage for herbal decoctions was supported by 80.8% of the responders, the median reasonable price for daily herbal decoctions was \9,517, the minimum price median of daily herbal decoctions considering its costs was \8,080, and the daily technical fee median was \4,379. On health insurance coverage for herbal decoctions, O.M.D.s were specially considering the standardization of herbal medicines. Conclusion : In this study, majority of O.M.D.s assented to health insurance coverage for herbal decoctions, but considered standardization of herbal medicines and optional prescription fee. It needs to prepare plan for insurance coverage of herbal decoctions that reflect the character of oriental medicine and oriental medical institutions.

• Journal of Society of Preventive Korean Medicine
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.43-51
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• 2019

Objectives : This study aimed to analyze price variance by year, region and company of raw herbal medicines to draw payment system for herbal medicine insurances in the National Health Insurance. Methods : To analyse price variance, we used 2015-2017 data of 'Quality test results of imported herbal medicines' provided by Korea Pharmaceutical Traders Association and 'Price data of 56 raw herbal medicines' that was surveyed by the Association of Korean Medicine. We analysed gap of highest price and lowest price those were compared with average price and coefficient of variation(CV) of prices by year, region and company of raw herbal medicines. Results : In analysing 3 years data, the highest price was 23.2% higher, and the lowest price was 19.1% lower than the average price. As of 2018, the average price of domestic produced herbal medicines was 1,8 times higher than that of imported herbal medicines. By companies, the highest price was 117.5% higher, and the lowest price was 57.3% lower than the average price. Conclusions : The price of herbal medicines varied by production year, region and company. This results suggest that comprehensive payment model needs to be considered in modeling the health insurance coverage for herbal medicine decoctions.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.210-223
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• 2013

Backgrounds: Escalating pharmaceutical expenditure has threatened the sustainability of National Health Insurance system in Korea. Generic medicines allow patients to access safe, effective, high-quality medicines at low cost, thus insurers could achieve significant financial savings by promotion of generics, if they are priced much lower than the originator. The purpose of this study was to review generic pricing as well as promotion policies in other countries and assess the implication of those policies. Methods: We reviewed the main measures adopted by the developed countries such as Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, United Kingdom, especially in countries where governments are the largest third-party payers or insurance finance resource is the national health insurance. Results: The foreign countries's experience with generic medicine policy shows that demand-side policies such as physician budgets, international nonproprietary name prescribing, generics substitution, patients co-payment as well as supply-side policies relating to pricing and reimbursement seems to play a critical role in developing the generic medicines market. Conclusion: Various strategy should be implemented to promote generic drug use.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.255-264
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• 2014

Objective: The aims of this study are to investigate the total volume of prescribed medicines against Alzheimer's disease (AD) and the trends of usage by analyzing the claims-data from the Korea National Health Insurance Service. Method: The demographic and claims-data were included the major AD treating medicines such as donepezil, galantamine, rivastigmine and memantine, and analyzed during the period of 2010~2012. The assessing criteria were gender, age, habitation, types of medical institution, code of ingredients, outcomes of treatment, volume and amount of claims, and the numbers of patients with dementias. After trimming the data, it were analyzed by the market size, demographic traits, characteristics of medical service, characteristics of each anti-AD medicine, etc. Results: Among the chosen 4 medicines, donepezil had the top prescription volumes. Most prevalent prescribing preparations of donepezil were conventional types. However, among the non-conventional types, oro-dispersible formulation is the fast increasing one in both volume and growth rate. This specialized preparations to improve both toleration and adherence, tend to being prescribed generally at the tertiary medical institutions. While the younger patients with mild-to-moderate AD mostly treated by expensive medicines in resident at the tertiary hospitals, the rest older patients with severe AD have been treated non-expensive one at long-term care facilities. Conclusion: AD is a chronic illness therefore, long-term use of therapeutic medications are highly important. If an anti-AD treatment was applied steadily in the earlier stages, it would be achieved not only improving the quality of life of patient but also reducing the expenses in the medical and nursing cares. As the socioeconomical impacts of AD is expanding, healthcare professionals need to aware the importance of pharmacotherapy and to improve sociopolitical fundamentals.

• Quality Improvement in Health Care
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.93-112
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• 2006

This study reviewed published studies on interventions used by hospitals, health insurance programs, or governments to improve use of medicines in foreign countries. Interventions to improve use of medicines are classified into two categories: 1) information strategies-dissemination of educational materials, group education, one-to-one educational outreach, drug utilization review, and feedback; 2) managerial strategies- formularies, prior authorization, and financial incentives. Dissemination of educational materials, which is a common intervention, was unsuccessful in changing physicians' prescribing behaviors. Problem-based small group education was more likely to change behaviors than didactic large group education. One-to-one educational outreach(academic detailing) was among the most effective strategies used to change prescribing behaviors. Prospective drug utilization review (DUR) program was more successful in improving use of medicines than retrospective DUR program. Feedback intervention has been reported to be ineffective to change behaviors. Formularies are frequently used to control medication use by most health insurance programs. Financial incentives provide physicians economic incentives according to appropriateness of prescribing. However, few published studies have assessed the efficacy of formularies or financial incentives. Prior authorization requires physicians to get authorization from health insurers before prescribing a certain group of drugs which is usually of high costs or risk. There is no magic bullet for quality use of medicines. Multifaceted interventions that help to predispose, enable, and reinforce desired behaviors are more likely to be successful.

• Journal of Society of Preventive Korean Medicine
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.1-11
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• 2021

Objective : The purpose of this study is to analyze Korean patients' characteristics, who were concurrently treated with both Korean herbal medicines and Western chemical medicines using nation-wide database. Method : Using the patients sample data (HIRA-NPS 2018) provided by Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service, a group of patients who co-administered Korean herbal and Western medicines was selected, and their basic characteristics, diagnosis, and prescribed chemical medicines were analyzed. Results : Out of the 1,481,921 sample population, 17,629 patients (1.2%) were selected as a concurrent medication group. Compared to the whole sample, the concurrent medication group was composed of more women (65.8% vs. 51.1%), the more elderly people (65 or older years old) (44.5% vs. 14.6%), and the higher prevalence of chronic diseases (49.1% vs. 22.2%). The most frequent diagnosis treated with Western medicines was mental and behavioral disorders, musculoskeletal and circulatory disorders. Frequently used drugs among concurrent medication group were anti-anxiety drugs, gastric ulcer treatment drugs, and senile diseases treatment drugs. Conclusion : The evidence reported in this study is expected to provide herb-drug interaction researchers with important reference to set the priorities of research topics in the future.