• Health Policy and Management
• /
• v.23 no.2
• /
• pp.132-144
• /
• 2013

Background: The purpose of this study was to analyze the medical expense change and influencing factors after introducing longterm care insurance system. The study period was 2 years before and after introduction of the system. Methods: We analyzed data collected from two divided group lived in Incheon. Four hundred and eighty-five elderly who received long-term care wage for one year were selected for experimental group. For control group, 1,940 elderly were selected by gender and age stratified random sampling. Difference-In-difference analyses was used for evaluating policy effectiveness. Also multiple regression analyses were conducted to identify the factors associated with total medical expenditures. The control variables were demographic variables, economic status, diseases, and medical examination variables. Results: Difference-in-difference analyses showed that total average medical expenses among long-term patients has decreased by 61.85%. Of these, the hospitalization expenses have decreased by 91.63% and the drug expenses have increased by 31.85%. Multiple regression analyses results showed that total average medical expenses among long-term patients have significantly decreased by 46.5% after introducing the long-term care insurance. The hospitalization expenses have significantly decreased by 148.5%, whereas the drug expenses have increased by 53.6%. And outpatient expenses have increased by 10.4%, but the differences were not statistically significant. Conclusion: The results showed that total medical expenses and hospitalization expenses have decreased after introducing the long-term care insurance. These results could support the opinion that the health insurance spending among long-term patients will be reduced gradually by long-term care insurance through changing medical demand.

• Journal of Korean Academic Society of Home Health Care Nursing
• /
• v.26 no.3
• /
• pp.253-264
• /
• 2019

The aim of this review is to present a German system of an outpatient care center under the German Health Insurance Act and home care (integration of medical care, basic care, bathing) under the Long-Term Care Insurance Act. This idea of a German integrated home care system should contribute to the development of a Korean home care model. Prior the introduction of long-term care insurance (1995), and with the of the health insurance law (1989), German outpatient care centers already provided medical and basic care services for patients with acute and chronic symptoms. Since 1995, patients with acute symptoms and rehabilitation periods under the Health Insurance Act have been eligible for home care. The Long-Term Care Insurance Act is intended for all citizens who are unable to carry out their daily activities for more than six months. In 2017, 13,657 (97%) of 14,050 outpatient care centers provided home care services after long-term care and health insurance. In other words, patients in Germany can use home care in both the acute and chronic phase at the same home care center, or 'integrated home-care center'.

• Korean Journal of Social Welfare
• /
• v.66 no.2
• /
• pp.5-29
• /
• 2014

The purpose of this study is to interpret how the long-term care evaluation system implements in the actual service settings with institutional isomorphism and decoupling based on new-institutional theory. This study conducted in-depth interview with employees engaged in 7 long term care service facilities. Directed qualitative content analysis was used to analyze the data. As a result, unlike the intention of the long-term care evaluation system to improve the efficiency of the organization by market competition, it found that organizations forcibly adapted a evaluation system to rely on government's resources and it results in isomorphism phenomena which is similar between organizations. This results confirmed that the evaluation system has implemented in the direction of enhancing the government's role to standardize and institutionalize the long-term care service rather than improving the efficiency of the organization by market competition. This study also partially found the phenomenon of decoupling between organizational formal structure accompanied by isomorphism and real behaviors. These results suggest that it is required to improve government's evaluation indicators on the issue of inefficiency caused by dual structure of organizations. In addition, this study proposes that government's evaluation index which is reflected the characteristics of care service is necessary for operating.

• 한국노년학
• /
• v.38 no.3
• /
• pp.453-466
• /
• 2018

The purpose of this study is to explore the enlightenment of the Korean long-term care insurance policy on Qingdao's long-term care insurance policy through policy comparison. China and Korea are very similar in terms of cultural background, living habits, and population structure. Therefore, the successful experience of Korean long-term care insurance has great implications for Qingdao even China to build a long-term care insurance system. Through the literature review, this article compares the long-term care insurance policy implemented by Qingdao City and Korea in Gilbert & Terrell's social welfare policy analysis framework. With the comparison this article discusses about the existing problems of the current pilot policy system in Qingdao, such as lack of legislation support and financial independence, assessment standards are not detailed, and human resources are insufficient. The author raises five suggestions to improve Qingdao's long-term care policy as the conclusion of this paper: legislation support, detailed assessment standard, expand categories of benefits, enrich delivery network, optimize financing sources.

• Health Policy and Management
• /
• v.32 no.3
• /
• pp.258-271
• /
• 2022

The rapidly aging trend of Korea is a major factor that threatens the sustainability of the long-term care insurance system. Therefore, looking at how Japan and Germany mitigated the financial burden when they managed similar long-term care insurance systems will provide important implications for improving the Korean system in the future. The study was conducted using the literature review method, and the "country" was set as a unit for the case analysis. The three countries selected are Korea, Japan, and Germany. Recently in Korea, the insurance premium rates of all subjects have been rapidly rising, which can exacerbate the issue of intergenerational equity. On the other hand, Japan has responded to the aggravating finances for long-term care insurance due to aging by raising coinsurance for selected groups like the wealthy elderly. Germany is selectively raising the insurance premium rates by additionally increasing the premium rate for childless recipients. A more preventive and quality-oriented care service plan can be promoted by referring to the recent changes in Japan and Germany. In addition, a more effective and selective increase in payment burden in Japan and Germany could be considered in response to a recent equity issue in Korea.

• Journal of Korean Academic Society of Home Health Care Nursing
• /
• v.27 no.3
• /
• pp.241-249
• /
• 2020

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate possible ways to expand the services of home-visit nursing through a review of the progress, achievements, and obstacles of home-visit nursing; a pilot project of an integrated home-service; the application of the Omaha System; as well as a case analysis of providing home-visit nursing services. Method: An integrated review was conducted using various source materials, including laws, previous studies, and a case analysis. Results: In case analysis of providing visiting nursing service, rehabilitation nursing, end-of-life nursing, and dementia care showed high nursing needs. It was necessary that the various home visit nursing services in the intervention area of the Omaha System, administrative services, case management, and center operation activities were all included in the payment systems of long-term care insurance. Conclusion: In the future, home visit nursing services of long-term care insurance should be reborn in the form of a center for integrated case management in the community, which would set long-term goals until the time of a client's death and encompass the realm of human rights for health, quality of daily life, and a dignity of life.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
• /
• v.34 no.2
• /
• pp.278-289
• /
• 2004

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to classify the elderly in long-term care facilities using the Resource Utilization Group(RUG-III) and to examine the feasibility of a payment method based on the RUG-III classification system in Korea. Method: This study measured resident characteristics using a Resident Assessment Instrument-Minimum Data Set(RAI-MDS) and staff time. Data was collected from 530 elderly residents over sixty, residing in long-term care facilities. Resource use for individual patients was measured by a wage-weighted sum of staff time and the total time spent with the patient by nurses, aides, and physiotherapists. Result: The subjects were classified into 4 groups out of 7 major groups. The group of Clinically Complex was the largest (46.3%), and then Reduced Physical Function(27.2%), Behavior Problems (17.0%), and Impaired Cognition (9.4%) followed. Homogeneity of the RUG-III groups was examined by total coefficient of variation of resource use. The results showed homogeneity of resource use within RUG-III groups. Also, the difference in resource use among RUG major groups was statistically significant (p<0.001), and it also showed a hierarchy pattern as resource use increases in the same RUG group with an increase of severity levels(ADL). Conclusion: The results of this study showed that the RUG-Ill classification system differentiates resources provided to elderly in long-term care facilities in Korea.

• Communications for Statistical Applications and Methods
• /
• v.28 no.4
• /
• pp.393-410
• /
• 2021

The Korean Long-Term Care Insurance (K-LTCI) provides financial support for long-term care service to people who need various types of assistance with daily activities. As the number of elderly people in Korea is expected to increase in the future, the demand for long-term care insurance would also increase over time. Projection of future expenditure on K-LTCI depends on the number of beneficiaries within the grading system of K-LTCI based on the test scores of applicants. This study investigated the suitability of mixture distributions to the model K-LTCI score distribution using recent empirical data on K-LTCI, provided by the National Health Insurance Service (NHIS). Based on the developed mixture models, the number of beneficiaries in each grade and its variability under the current grading system were estimated by simulation. It was observed that a mixture model is suitable for K-LTCI score distribution and may prove useful in devising a funding plan for K-LTCI benefit payment and investigating the effects of any possible revision in the K-LTCI grading system.

• Journal of Korean Academic Society of Home Health Care Nursing
• /
• v.14 no.2
• /
• pp.98-105
• /
• 2007

Home health care system in Korea has been classified into three types of home care programs based on different laws and regulations; for example, home health care nursing(HHCN) is based on medical laws, visiting health care nursing (VHCN) is based on long-term health care insurance, and visiting health care(VHC) is based on the regional health care act. HHCN in Korea has taken on an important role under the mandate of the national health care system since 2000. VHCN will commence its role under the long term health care insurance system in 2008. The strengthening of VHC commanded health promotion and prevention for vulnerable families in the community in 2007. This is an important turning point for increasing quality management for home health care program; it suggests certain possibilities for building a foundation for further changes in the service delivery structure. Accordingly, the home health care policy makers in Korea have a major function and role that consists of developing an agenda and alternatives for policy making in a systematic manner and clearly presenting implementation strategies for elderly health care system.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
• /
• v.40 no.3
• /
• pp.349-358
• /
• 2010

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to estimate nursing costs and to establish appropriate nursing fees for long-term care services for community elders. Methods: Seven nurses participated in data collection related to visiting time by nurses for 1,100 elders. Data on material costs and management costs were collected from 5 visiting nursing agencies. The nursing costs were classified into 3 groups based on the nurse's visit time under the current reimbursement system of long-term care insurance. Results: The average nursing cost per minute was 246 won. The material costs were 3,214 won, management costs, 10,707 won, transportation costs, 7,605 won, and capital costs, 5,635 won per visit. As a result, the average cost of nursing services per visit by classification of nursing time were 41,036 won (care time <30 min), 46,005 won (care time 30-59 min), and 57,321 won (care time over 60 min). Conclusion: The results of the study indicate that the fees for nurse visits currently being charged for long-term care insurance should be increased. Also these results will contribute to baseline data for establishing appropriate nursing fees for long-term care services to maintain quality nursing and management in visiting nursing agencies.