• Health Policy and Management
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.344-354
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• 2021

Background: The purpose of this study was to analyze the effect of national health insurance coverage of Chuna therapy in April 2019 on the costs and service uses in automobile insurance. Methods: This study used the claim data from Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service. A total of 189,912 inpatients and 1,550,497 outpatients who received Chuna therapy covered by automobile insurance in oriental medical institutions were included. The analysis period was from July 2018 to December 2019, and a total of 18 months before and after April 2019, when Chuna therapy was covered by national health insurance. Interrupted time series analysis was applied to analyze the impact on the costs and service uses of Chuna therapy in automobile insurance before and after April 2019. Results: From July 2018 to December 2019, for 189,912 inpatients the cost and the number of times for Chuna therapy per capita were increased by 22.0% and decreased by 7.3% respectively right after the implementation of the policy. In the case of 1,550,497 outpatients, the cost of Chuna therapy per capita tends to be increased by 0.4% in overall study periods and increased 28.4% immediately after the implementation of the policy. Meanwhile, the number of times and visits for Chuna therapy per capita tends to be increased by 0.4% in overall study periods but decreased by 0.4% after the implementation of the policy. Conclusion: Results suggest that if the national health insurance coverage of oriental medicine services increases according to the policy stance for benefit expansion in national health insurance, the criteria for providing national health insurance benefits should be considered with the comprehensive impacts on the costs and service uses of automobile insurance.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.85-122
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• 2001

This study compared and analyzed the effect of income-redistribution, collecting data on the basis of the estimated details of insurance contribution and individual money wage lists for each one year before and after the combination of medical insurance program for industrial workers, by systematic sampling, extracting 4,160 families(14,764 people) among people applied to medical insurance program for self employees in Taegu City on the basis of Oct. 1st in 1998 with 227 associations of medical insurance program for self employees and medical insurance program for government employees and private school teachers combined, comparing the effect of income redistribution of before and after the combination of medical insurance program for self employees. The insurance contribution by household after the combination of medical insurance program for self employees showed the increase rate of average 20.9%, among them households of 68.8% increased and 31.2% decreased. The effect of income-redistribution was more positive because the degree of inequality was more deepened from 0.64 of the before-combination to 0.45 of the after-one in decile distribution ratio, from 0.26 to 0.34 in Gini -coefficient. Decile distribution ratio on the basis of insurance benefits by household was from 0.09 in the before-combination to 0.14 in the after-one, Gini-coefficient from 0.16 in the before-combination to 0.57 in the after-one was a little lowered. And decile distribution ratio of insurance benefits on the basis of insurance contribution was higher from 1.08 in the before-combination to 1.23 in the after-one, concentration index was a little lowered from 0.14 to 0.11, the effect of income-redistribution was improved in the phase of insurance benefits. The income-transfer rate of medical insurance program for self employees (the occupied rate of insurance benefits/ the occupied rate of insurance contribution) showed a lower trend in all of the before and after-combination towards upper classes, it was known that the income-transfer rate was higher from 1st degree to 7th degree in the after-combination in comparison with the before-one, but the effect of income¬redistribution was high because the income-transfer rate was lowered from 8th degree to 10th degree. The rate of medical insurance benefits (insurance benefits/ insurance contribution) increased from 0.79 in the before-combination to 1.07 in the after-one, and showed over 1.0 under 3th degree before the combination, but all of it was higher than 1.0 under 7th degree after the combination, the after-combination was more improved than the before-one in view of the rate of insurance benefits. As the result of above, on the basis of Oct. 1st in 1998 that 227 associations of medical insurance program for self employees was combined into one, we could say that the equality of imposing medical insurance contribution was more re-considered in the after-combination than in the before-one. But this study analyzed with classes divided, anyway, on the basis of insurance contribution, we have limit in explaining the correct effect of income-redistribution, because it was not analyzed according to classes of income, though it helps to analogize the effect of income-redistribution. So there must be analysis about the effect of income-redistribution, on the basis of the system, building up the system to grasp the correct income of the insureds of medical insurance program for self employees.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.33-44
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• 2011

Purpose: This study examined the characteristics and service utilization of home nursing care beneficiaries under the Korean Long-Term Care Insurance (LTCI). Methods: We used assessment data and claim data of National Health Insurance Corporation from July to August 2008. Data were composed of subjects who were the beneficiaries of home nursing care. Results; A total of 634 subjects were analyzed. Of the subjects, 57.1% were 75 years and over. The average score of nursing care need was only 0.71 and the percentage of those whose nursing care need score was zero was 58.0%. More than half of the subjects had partially dependent musculoskeletal conditions, and 75.5% had two or more comorbidities. A third of them usedonly home nursing care, and another third used both home nursing care and general home care at the same time. Those who needed sore care used the largest home nursing care benefits. Conclusion: Home nursing care of LTCI performs community-based healthcare services under LTCI. Throughout the past two years, however, it has not been active. Understanding the characteristics of its users is important in order to develop effective strategies for activating home nursing care.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.244-252
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• 2008

The purpose of this study is to investigate the overall operations of National Hospital Food service after it was benefited by National Health Insurance (NHI). The survey was conducted between July and August, 2007. Among questionnaires mailed to 2,558 medical care institutions, 2,090 returned (81%) questionnaires were analyzed by descriptive statistics, $x^2$-test and ANOVA using the SPSS 13.0. The general foodservice characteristic of medical care institutions were as follows. The type of foodservice operations were 'self-operated' (86.9%), 'contracted' (10.5%) and 'Both' (2.6%). Only 6.4% of medical care institutions provided 'hospital food menu not benefited by NHI'. The number of dietitians and cook for medical care institutions were 1.1 and 1.0, respectively. The cost of a general diet meal was 4,205 won and therapeutic diet meal was 4,434 won. The overall operations of hospital foodservice were different depending on the types of medical care institution. After hospital foodservice was benefited by NHI, the overall quality of hospital foodservice including manpower, facilities, and environment was improved. The future direction of hospital foodservice should 1) differentiate the cost of hospital foodservice by the types of medical care institution, 2) increase in co-payment, and 3) provide same service with equal expenses in each party as medical aid or NHS beneficiary.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.51-60
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• 2018

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the opinions of Korean medical doctors on how to elucidate possible remedial measures for expanding the health insurance benefits coverage item of Korean medicine (KM). Methods: An online survey was conducted to all members who had registered e-mail address in the association of Korean medicine from 1 to 17 November, 2016. Statistical analysis was performed and odds ratio with 95% confidence interval were calculated by each subgroup. Results: A total of 743 members answered the questions and the response rate was 4.1%. The priorities for expanding health insurance benefits were as follows: thermographic imaging, Sasang constitution typing test, and pulse wave among examinations; pharamacopuncture, embedding acupuncture, and acupotomy among procedures; Chuna manual therapy, manual therapy for meridian muscle, and Daoyin exercise therapy among manual therapies; low-frequency electrical therapy, traction, paraffin bath, and light therapy among physical therapies; and aromatherapy, enema therapy, and color therapy among activities of KM. Conclusions: It should be covered by the national health insurance (NHI) of KM that thermographic imaging, pharmacoacupuncture, Chuna manual therapy, low-frequency electrical therapy, aromatherapy as a top priority. We also suggest that basic medical tests, such as blood, urine, or imaging, should be included in the coverage of the NHI of KM. It is necessary to review the expertise and public opinions about the plans and priorities for the conversion of the desired medical services to be covered by the NHI.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.1-10
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• 2006

Objectives : Recently, the total medical expenses of the korean oriental medical service in national health insurance is on the increase every year. Herbal medicines are one of the major methods of the medical treatment. But the expenses of these herbal preparations that can receive benefits from insurance system are decreasing. Methods : In this research, we obtained statistical data of the benefit states of herbal preparations in herbal heath insurance during year 2001-2003 from Health Insurance Review Agency. We analyzed top twenty main diseases in herbal health insurance and mainly used prescription in these diseases. Results : There were wide differences in the application of prescriptions among diseases. For example, musculoskeletal diseases occupied an important position and Ojucksan took more than 50 percentage. Conclusion : We hope that this study could be a basic data for improving the benefit system of herbal health insurance and further studies should be carried out subsequently.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.40 no.2
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• pp.150-154
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• 2007

Objectives : The aim of this study is to identify factors determining the purchase of private health insurance under the mandatory National Health Insurance(NHI) system in Korea. Methods : The data were collected by the National Cancer Center in Korea. It includes cancer patients who were newly diagnosed with stomach (ICD code, C16), lung(C33-C34), liver (C22), colorectal cancer(C18-C20) or breast(C50) cancer. Data were gathered from the hospital Order Communication System (OCS), medical records, and face-to-face interviews, using a structured questionnaire. Clinical, socio-demographic and private health insurance related factors were also gathered. Results : Overall, 43.9% of patients had purchased one or more private health insurance schemes related to cancer, with an average monthly premium of \65,311 and an average benefit amount of \19million. Females, younger aged, high income earners, national health insurers and metropolitan citizens were more likely to purchase private health insurance than their counterparts. Conclusions : About half of Korean people have supple-mentary private health insurance and their benefits are sufficient to cover the out-of-pocket fees required for cancer treatment, but inequality remains in the purchase of private health insurance. Further studies are needed to investigate the impacts of private health insurance on NHI, and the relationship between cancer patients' burden and benefits.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.49 no.sup1
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• pp.14-19
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• 2016

Background: This study uses the relevance index to understand the condition of regional medical service use for cardiovascular surgery and to identify the medical service use imbalance between regions. Methods: This study calculated the relevance index of 16 metropolitan cities and provinces using resident registration address data from the Ministry of Government Administration and Home Affairs and the 2010-2014 health insurance, medical care assistance, and medical benefits claims data from the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service. We identified developments over the 5-year time period and analyzed the level of regional imbalance regarding cardiovascular surgery through the relative comparison of relevance indexes between cardiovascular and other types of surgery. Results: The relevance index was high in large cities such as Seoul, Daegu, and Gwangju, but low in regions that were geographically far from the capital area, such as the Gangwon and Jeju areas. Relevance indexes also fell as the years passed. Cardiovascular surgery has a relatively low relevance index compared to key types of surgery of other fields, such as neurosurgery and colorectal surgery. Conclusion: This study identified medical service use imbalance between regions for cardiovascular surgery. Results of this study demonstrate the need for political intervention to enhance the accessibility of necessary special treatment, such as cardiovascular surgery.

• The Korean Society of Law and Medicine
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.45-72
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• 2012

The National Health Insurance Corporation has been retrieving from health care providers the payments made to them by insured patients as a result of the health care providers' arbitrary denial of coverage under the National Health Insurance, and has been disbursing such retrieved monies back to the patients, pursuant to Article 57, Sections 1 and 4 of the National Health Insurance Act. However, such practice is an application of the law that lacks legal exactitude. Another problem with such practice is that there is no legal provision under any laws or notices that expressly prohibits arbitrary denial of coverage. A legislative solution, therefore, is called for to address these issues.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.62-80
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• 2009

The purpose of this study was to examine the factors influencing the attitude toward the increasing role of private health insurance(PHI). In the Korea Welfare Panel Data 2007, a sample of 1,675 (adjusted by weight value: 1,607) respondents on an opinion on promoting PHI was used in the study. With independent variables including socio-demographic characteristics, health status, health-related behavior, and opinions on welfare service, ordered-probit model was used to analyze the attitude toward PHI. Negative opinion on the increasing role of PHI were responded by 54.6%(n=877) of the respondents, whereas 22.2%(n=373) were positive and 23.2%(n=357) were neutral. Old people, the better off, those with worse self-assessed health status, and those having an experience of health examination tend to have the positive attitude toward the increasing role of PHI. Women, those with chronic diseases or disorders and those who do not agree that comprehensive welfare benefits reduce work incentive showed negative attitude toward PHI. When comparing the needs for PHI before and after medical utilization, ex-ante need tends to strengthen the tendency to support private health insurance. This study will contribute to the discussion on the optimal mix of public and private health insurance in Korea by a better recognition of attitude toward PHI and health care system.