• Korean Journal of Head & Neck Oncology
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.71-74
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• 2003

Liposarcoma is one of the most common malignancies originating from human soft tissue. Because most of liposarcoma occur in the lower extremities or retroperitoneum, there are few reports about liposarcoma of head and neck region, including larynx and pharynx. Histologically, there are four types of liposarcoma, and prognosis and recurrence rate are different according to histologic subtype. Wide excision is the treatment of choice and liposarcoma hardly respond to primary radiotherapy. A 56-year-old man presented with voice change and foreign body sensation in laryngopharynx. Hypopharyngeal liposarcoma was diagnosed by surgical biopsy and performed totallaryngopharyngoesophagectomy and gastric pull-up. Here we report our experience on this case with review of literature.

• Korean Journal of Head & Neck Oncology
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.47-50
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• 2016

Angiokeratomas represent vascular lesions and are histologically characterized by superficial dermal vascular ectasia with overlying epidermal hyperkeratosis. Angiokeratoma circumscriptum is one of five types in the group of the angiokeratomas. The lesion is present from birth but may appear in childhood or adulthood. Angiokeratoma circumscriptum is typically hyperkeratotic papules or nodules situated unilaterally on the foot or distal aspect of the leg, but can occur elsewhere on the body. Isolated tongue involvement is very rare. We report a 12-year-old boy with angiokeratoma circumscriptum of the posterior dorsal tongue with a review of the literatures.

• Korean Journal of Head & Neck Oncology
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.71-75
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• 2021

Liposarcoma is a very rare malignant tumor affecting the head and neck area. Since it is an invasive and life-threatening disease, active treatments is necessary. However, differential it from lipoma, its corresponding benign counterpart, may be difficult. Herein, we report a rare case of posterior neck myxoid liposarcoma in a 72-year-old man who was initially misdiagnosed with lipoma, including a literature review of differential diagnosis between lipoma and liposarcoma.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.243-252
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• 2023

This paper aims to introduce Korea's total current health expenditure (CHE) and National Health Accounts of the year 2021 and their 2022 preliminary figures constructed on the basis of the System of Health Accounts 2011. As CHE includes expenditures for prevention, tracking, and treatment of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and compensation for losses to medical institutions from 2020, the details are also introduced. Korea's total CHE in 2021 is 193.3 trillion won, which is 9.3% of gross domestic product (GDP). The preliminary figure in 2022, 209.0 trillion won, exceeded the 200 trillion won line for the first time, and its "ratio to GDP" of 9.7% is expected to exceed the average of Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development member countries for the first time. Korea's health expenditures, which were well controlled until the end of the 20th century, have increased at an alarming rate since the beginning of the 21st century, threatening the sustainability of national health insurance. The increase in health expenditure after 2020 is partly due to a temporary increase in response to COVID-19. However, when considering the structure of Korea's health insurance price hike, where the ratchet effect of increased medical expenses works particularly strongly, it is unlikely that the accelerating growth trend that has lasted for more than 20 years will stop easily. More aggressive policies to control medical expenses are required in the national health insurance which not only constitutes the main financing sources of the Korean health system but also has the most powerful policy means in effect for changes in the health care provision.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.43 no.5
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• pp.343-351
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• 2020

This study analyzed dose reduction and quality of images through dose reduction tools and shielding board to protect sensitive eye lens in radiation during orbit CT examinations for clinical data use. During CT scans of the phantom, surface dose (CT scanner dosimetry phantom, ion chamber-3 times) and quality of image (radiosurgery head phantom, visual assessment-2 times, HU standard deviation) were evaluated using X-care which is dose reduction tools and bismuth shielding board. The results of experiments of eight conditions showed a relatively reduced dose in all other conditions compared to when no conditions were set. In particular, the area corresponding to the ophthalmic part reduced the surface dose by up to 45.7 %. The visual evaluation of images by specialists and the quality evaluation of images analyzed by HU standard deviation were clinically closest to the use of X-care and shielding board (1 cm in height). Therefore, it is believed that the use of shielding board in a suitable location with dose reduction tools while investigating the optimal radiation dose will reduce the exposure dose of sensitive lens at radiation while maintaining the quality of the images with high diagnostic value.

• Journal of Society of Preventive Korean Medicine
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.37-50
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• 2015

Objective : In order to understand the scale of medicinal expenditure in the Korean medicine, an analysis has been made of Korean National Health Account and statistic archives used to estimate the Korean National Health Account and also of such archives as are contributory to learn the scale of total health expenditures in the Korean medicine. Method : From the Korean National Health Account archives, an analysis has been made of National health insurance statistic annual reports, National health insurance non-payment items, Korean Economic Census (The Service Industy Survey), and Korea Health Panel data. Moreover, in order to know the sales of overall Korean medicine clinics, relevant data have been utilized and cited from investigations into National tax statistics, Korean medicine medical institutions and Korean medicines used, and current states of medicinal herbs and Korean medicine industry. Results : It is found that the average scale of each section of the medical expenditures archives in the Korean medicine in 2012 was KRW 3.5638 billion and that the average medical expenditures in the Korean medicine derived from Total Health Expenditure, The Service Industy Survey, National tax statistic, and Korean medicine industry are approximately KRW 3.3901, 3.4796, 3.7218 and 3.9634 billion. And the average expenditures derived from National health insurance patients and Korea Health Panel data are 2.5162 and 2.2292 billion won and those from the users and consumers of Korean medicines and herbs are 5.6,461 billion won. In order to verify the appropriateness of estimated medical expenditures in the Korean medicine included in the archives, an analysis has been made of uninsured costs which come from the aggregate sales amount surveyed minus health insurance treatment expenditures and it is found that the ratio of insured costs against total health expenditures in 2006 was 50.67% and 41.92% in 2012 and that the ratio based on National tax statistics and The Service Industy Survey was 52.19% and 49.28% in 2006 and 50.54% and 50.64% in 2012 and that the ratio of uninsured costs against Korean medicines and herbs and Korean medicine industry was 37.5% and 58.27% in 2013. Conclusion : It calls for the improvement of the accuracy of an investigation into Total Health Expenditure which comprise the actual conditions of health insurance and Korea Health Panel, the development of statistic schemes for understanding and classifying medical expenditures of all the Korean medicine medicinal institutions like medicinal clinics, and enhanced methods for independent panels to comprehensively collect and analyze the number of sampled Korean medicine medical institutions.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.221-237
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• 1992

The reasons for cost inflation in medical insurance expenditure are classified into demand pull inflation and cost push inflation. The former includes increase in the number of beneficiaries and utilization rate, while the latter includes increase in medical insurance fee and the charges per case. This study was conducted to analyze sources of increases of expenditure in medical insurance demonstration area by the period of 1982-1987 which was earlier than national health insurance and the period of national health insurance(1988-1990). The major findings were as follows: Medical expenditure in these areas increased by 9.4%(15.1%) annually between 1982 and 1990 on the basis of costant price(current price) and for this period, the yearly average increasing rate of expenses for outpatient care[10.5%(15.8%)] was higher than that of inpatient care [7.3%(12.6%)]. Medical expenditure increased by 6.3%(8.9%) annually between 1982 and 1987, the period of medical insurance demonstration, while it increased by 10.7%(18.9%) after implementing national health insurance(1988-1990). Medical expenditure increased by 35.9%(45.9%) between 1982 and 1987. Of this increase, 115.2%(92.1%) was attributable to the increase in the frequencies of utilization per beneficiary and 61.0%(68.1%) was due to the increase in the charges per case, but the expenditure decreased by 76.2%(60.2%) due to the reduction in the number of beneficiaries. Beteen 1988 and 1990, the period of national health insurance, medical expenditure increased by 21.2%(41.4%). Of this increase, 87.5%(46.4%) was attributable to the increase in the frequencies of utilization per beneficiary and 52.4%(73.4%) was due to the increase in the charges per case, and of the increase in the charges per case, 69.6%(40.8%) was attributable to the increase in the days of visit per case. Medical expenses per person in these areas increased by 78.2%(89.0%) between 1982 and 1987. Of this increase, 76.6%(69.1%) was attributable to the increase in the frequencies of utilization per beneficiary and 23.4%(30.9%) was due to the increase in the charges per case. For this period, demand-pull factor was the major cause of the increase in medical expenses and the expenses per treatment day was the major attributable factor in cost-push inflation. Betwee 1988 and 1990, medical expenditure per person increased by 31.2%(53.1%). Of this increase, 60.8%(37.2%) was attributable to the demand-pull factor and 39.2%(62.8%) was due to the increase in the charges per case which was one of cost-push factors. In current price, the attributalbe rate of the charges per case which was one of cost-push factors was higher than that of utilization rate in the period of national health insurance as compared to the period of medical insurance demonstration. In consideration of above findings, demand-pull factor led the increase in medical expenditure between 1982 and 1987, the period of medical insurance medel trial, but after implementing national health insurance, the attributable rate of cost-push factor was increasing gradually. Thus we may conclude that for medical cost containment, it is requested to examine the new reimbursement method to control cost-push factor and service-intensity factor.

• Journal of Society of Preventive Korean Medicine
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.83-94
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• 2020

Backgrounds : To reduce the patients' economic burden of herbal decoctions use, in 2012, Korean government decided to implement the pilot project of herbal decoctions coverage in the National Health Insurance. Objectives : This study aimed to analyze the policy decision-making process for the pilot insurance project in 2012. Methods : Official documents, research papers, statistical reports, and news articles, etc. on the coverage of herbal decoctions were searched and collected. We used the Kingdon's Policy Stream Model to analyze how the policy of pilot project of herbal decoctions coverage was decided, and who were the main activists for the decision-making process. Results : Components to be included in the 'Problem stream' were the decline in the profits of Korean Medicine institutions, the contraction of the herbal decoctions use, and the fiscal surplus of National Health Insurance. In the 'Policy stream', there were several model studies for herbal decoctions coverage, and examples of herbal benefits in other social insurances. In the 'Political stream', there were the legislative initiatives by member of the National Assembly and the promotion of insurance coverage by the Association of Korean Medicine(AKOM), etc. Policy window for herbal decoctions coverage was opened by the combination of these three streams with the efforts of policy activists, such as the executives of AKOM, and policy researchers. Conclusions : The policy decision process for health insurance coverage of herbal decoctions was analyzed using Kingdon's model, and the analysis shows that the combination of political streams and entrepreneurs' competencies can be an important driving force in policy decision making.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.22 no.3 s.27
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• pp.398-405
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• 1989

A change in the consumer's surplus was measured in order to evaluate the social benefit to be derived from expanding health insurance to the entire population. The most refined and correct way to measure a project's net benefit to society is to determine a change in the consumer's surplus. Benefits from introducing the health insurance program to the uninsured people can be classified into two elements. The first is the pricing-down effect(E1) which results from applying the insurance price system, which is lower than the actual price, to the uninsured patients. The second effect(E2) is a decrease in actual payment because an insured patient pays only a portion of the total medical bill(copayment). We collected medical price information from the data banks of 93 hospitals, and obtained information of medical utilization by referring to the results of other research and from data published by the Korean Medical Insurance Societies. The total net benefit was estimated as \214 billion, comprising the first effect(E1) of \57 billion and the second effect(E2) of \157 billion. The price elasticity of physician visits is less than that of hospital admissions: however, benefits from the increase in physician visits are greater than those from hospital admissions because there are considerably more of physician visits than hospital admissions. The sensitivity analysis also shows the conclusion that expansion of the health insurance program to the entire population would result in a positive net benefit. Therfore, we conclude that the National Health Insurance Program is socially desirable.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.387-396
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• 2013

Background: The purpose of this study was to analyze the association between areas of Korea Train Express (KTX) region and external medical service use in Korean society using spatial statistical model. Methods: The data which was used in this study was extracted from 2011 regional health care utilization statistics and health insurance key statistics from National Health Insurance Corporation. A total spatial units of 229 districts (si-gun-gu) were included in this study and spatial area was all parts of the country excepted Jeju, Ulleungdo island. We conducted Kruskal-Wallis test, correlation, Moran's I and hot-spot analysis. And after, ordinary linear regression, spatial lag, spatial error analysis was performed in order to find factors which were associated with external medical service use. The data was processed by SAS ver. 9.1 and Geoda095i (windows). Results: Moran's I of health insurance patients' external medical service use was 0.644. Also, population density, Seoul region, doctor factors positively associated with health insurance patients' external medical service. In contrast, average age, health care organization per 100 thousand were negatively associated with health insurance patients' external medical service use. Conclusion: The finding of this study suggested that health insurance patient's external medical service use correlated for seoul region in korea. The study results imply the need for more attention medical needs in the region (si-gun-gu unit) for health insurance patients of seoul region. It is important to adapt strategy to activation of primary health care as well as enhancing public health institution for prevent leakage of patients to other areas.