Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health

The Korean Society for Preventive Medicine (대한예방의학회)
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Effects of Private Health Insurance on Health Care Utilization and Expenditures in Korean Cancer Patients: Focused on 5 Major Cancers in One Cancer Center

민간의료보험이 암 환자의 의료이용과 의료비에 미치는 영향: 일개 암전문의료기관의 우리나라 주요 암종을 중심으로

  • Lim, Jin-Hwa (National Cancer Control Research Institute, National Cancer Center) ;
  • Choi, Kui-Son (National Cancer Control Research Institute, National Cancer Center) ;
  • Kim, Sung-Gyeong (National Cancer Control Research Institute, National Cancer Center) ;
  • Park, Eun-Cheol (National Cancer Control Research Institute, National Cancer Center) ;
  • Park, Jae-Hyun (National Cancer Control Research Institute, National Cancer Center)
  • 임진화 (국립암센터 국가암관리사업단) ;
  • 최귀선 (국립암센터 국가암관리사업단) ;
  • 김성경 (국립암센터 국가암관리사업단) ;
  • 박은철 (국립암센터 국가암관리사업단) ;
  • 박재현 (국립암센터 국가암관리사업단)
  • Published : 2007.07.31
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Abstract

Objectives : To identify the effects of supplemental private health insurance on health care utilization and expenditure under the mandatory National Health Insurance(NHI) system in Korea. Methods : The data were collected by the National Cancer Center in Korea. Cancer patients who were newly diagnosed with stomach (ICD code, C16), lung(C33-C34), liver (C22), colorectal cancer(C18-C20) or breast(C50) cancer were included as study subjects. Data were gathered using a structured questionnaire from face-to-face interviews, the hospital Order Communication System (OCS) and medical records. Clinical, socio-demographic and private health insurance related factors were also gathered. The differences of health care utilization and expenditure were compared between those who have private health insurance and those who do not using t-test and multivariable regression analysis. Results : Individuals with private health insurance spent larger inpatient costs than those without, but no differences were found in utilization in other service such as hospital admissions, hospital days and physician visits. Conclusions : We found that private health insurance exerts a significant effect on the health care expenditure in inpatient service. These study results can provide a rational basis to plan a national health policy regarding private health insurance. Further studies are needed to investigate the impacts of private health insurance on cancer patients' outcomes and survival rates.

Keywords

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