• Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.193-207
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• 2011

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to assess appropriateness of current standard for insurance coverage by Health Insurance Review & Assessment Service (HIRA) on chemotherapy used in the treatment of advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), by reviewing a variety of clinical evidences, and thereby, if needed, to propose an updated evidence-based recommendations. Methods: We collected data from HIRA regarding on the insurance standard which includes the scope and conditions for coverage on systemic chemotherapy of NSCLC. We performed a search for clinical databases and examined the most current clinical evidence from clinical literature including various clinical practice guidelines. Based on the collected data the appropriateness of HIRA standard for insurance coverage of chemotherapy of NSCLC was assessed. Results: Collected data demonstrated that HIRA standard did not reflect the most current clinical practice and evidence. Some were inappropriately listed in HIRA formulary and accepted as a chemotherapy being covered by insurance, despite the lack of evidences of clinical efficacy or superiority over other chemotherapeutic agents or regimens. In addition, there seems to be a need for a modification on the standard for insurance coverage of certain newer chemotherapeutic agents based on the current accumulated data showing their clinical efficacy and benefits in the selected group of NSCLC patients. Therefore, we concluded that current HIRA standard for insurance coverage on chemotherapy of NSCLC needs to be revised and we proposed an updated recommendation based on these latest clinical evidences. Conclusion: The standard for insurance coverage of chemotherapy should be continually examined its appropriateness based on the most recent clinical evidences in a timely manner so as to provide the most effective and safe therapy to cancer patients.

• Journal of Society of Preventive Korean Medicine
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.109-119
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• 2019

Background : Germany is the first country in the world to introduce modern systems of public health insurance, and the country which most widely uses complementary alternative medicine(CAM) in Europe. In early 21^st century, a large evaluation studies were conducted to include acupuncture in health insurance payments, which were eventually decided. Objectives : This study is to investigate and analyze the process of public policy determination on insurance coverage for acupuncture in German health insurance system. Methods : We collected the data and information through the literature search and from the websites of German government departments and health insurance organizations. To obtain contextual information, German experts of health insurance and acupuncture clinical study were interviewed. Results : As use of acupuncture had been growing, German public health insurers wanted to evaluate the validity of acupuncture coverage and sponsored three evaluation projects for clinical effectiveness of acupuncture using randomized clinical trials, systematic reviews, and pragmatic trials from 2001 to 2005. For some pain condition, acupuncture was founded not to be effective than sham acupuncture, but more effective than standard care. The federal joint committee of health insurance decided to cover acupuncture for chronic pain of lumbar spine and chronic pain in at least one knee joint due to gonarthrosis. Conclusions : Considering the controversial subject matter in the process of acupuncture's health insurance coverage in Germany, expanding the benefits of Korean medicine in Korea needs to come up with ways to overcome the difficulties of placebo effect, standardization and lack of literature evidence.

• Journal of Digestive Cancer Reports
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.43-49
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• 2021

Background/Aims: Colonic stenting as a bridge to elective surgery is an alternative for emergency surgery in patients with acute malignant colonic obstruction. However, since its benefits are uncertain, we aimed to establish whether it has better clinical outcomes. Methods: The patients with acute malignant left-sided colon obstruction enrolled from January 2009 to December 2018 in National Health Insurance Service Ilsan Hospital. The patients were enrolled to undergo colonic stenting as a bridge to elective surgery or emergency surgery. The following oncological outcomes were assessed: incidence of complete remission, disease progression, local recurrence, and systemic recurrence. Results: Out of 40 patients, 33 received self-expanding metallic stent (SEMS) as a bridge-to-surgery, and 7 underwent emergency surgery. More stoma was made in case of emergency surgery with statistical significance (p < 0.001). There were no significant differences in complete remission rate in curable left-sided malignant colonic obstruction between SEMS as a bridge-to-surgery and emergency surgery. Complete remission was achieved for 3 patients (42.9%) in the non-stent group and 27 patients (81.8%) in the stent group. There was no statistically significant difference in oncologic outcomes between the two groups (p = 0.069). According to multi-variate analysis, advanced TNM stage, Adjuvant chemotherapy, and SEMS bridge-to-surgery were significantly associated with disease-free survival. Disease-free survival rate differed significantly between the two groups (p = 0.024). Conclusions: SEMS as a bridge-to-surgery might be an effective strategy and reduce stoma formation in acute malignant left-sided colon obstruction.

• The Korean Society of Law and Medicine
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.75-103
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• 2017

There are three types of benefits in the National Health Insurance Act of Korea. Those are the treatment benefit, statutory uninsured medical benefits and arbitrary uninsured medical benefits. Recently the Korea Supreme Court changed its past legal theory and permitted the arbitrary uninsured medical benefits under the strictly exceptional conditions. According to the Supreme Court's decision, the existence of procedural difficulty, the medical necessity and the patient's consent are necessarily required in order to allow the legal exceptions in arbitrary uninsured medical benefits. Among the three requirements, the doctor's explanation and the patient's fully informed consent are the most important essentials in this legal conflict. The requirement concerning the doctor's explanation and the patient's consent roles like a hole in the ice as a breathing hole in the arbitrary uninsured medical benefits. The most cases dismissed after Supreme Court Decision 2010DU27639, 27646 Decided June 18, 2012. were due to the defect of three requirements.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.1504-1510
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• 2010

According to a research analysis of the factors which affect the medical utilization fee after an increase of health insurance benefits for patients with serious illnesses based on 225 patients over 6 months, both before and after the increase of benefits, from January, 1st, 2005 to June 30th, and also from January, 1st, 2006 to June 30th. In terms of genders, 67.8% of males were affected, whereas only 32.2% of females were effected, a much higher rate of men than women. Men also had higher rates before and after the increase of benefits. Out of 5 categories related to medication and treatment, radiation testing was the most expensive at about 5,300,000, operation fees were 590,000, and costs of other testing approximately 200,000 with the least expensive category being 120,000 for medication. By looking at the relationship between the fees and increase of benefits, medication was a hospital charge (p<0.01), injection fees were hospital charges (p<0.01), operation fees were hospital charges (p<0.01). Medication fees (p<0.01) and injection fees (p<0.01) were found to be related.

• The Korean Journal of Health Service Management
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.155-166
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• 2016

Objectives : This study confirmed the limitation of long-term care insurance by analyzing media contents. Methods : Articles and reviews were searched with the article searching system (KINDS) from July 2008 to December, 2015. Results : Among the 155 articles examined, 61.1% highlighted the faults of suppliers, and 25.2% indicated the responsibility of the insurer. As for their purpose, 56.8% reported on accidents, and 32.3% provided information. Furthermore, 74.2% reported on negative contents and only 25.8% on neutral contents. The negative contents consisted of requesting false insurance benefits, amending the range and price indicating the very low salaries of the care givers, limitations on the care grade assessment, and problems related with assistive devices. The majority of neutral articles is for providing information. Conclusions : There were many problems starting from the early stage of the insurance. We must pay attention to these problems. Moreover, we should try to handle and prevent these problems with supportive responses from authorities.

• Journal of the Korean Data and Information Science Society
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.467-476
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• 2011

We developed the hybrid model coupled with predictive model and business rule model for administration of injury by utilizing medical data of the National Health Insurance in Korea. We performed decision tree analysis using data mining methodology and used SAS Enterprise Miner 4.1. We also investigated under several business rule for benefits (expense paid by insurer) and claims of injury in National Health Insurance Corporation. We can see that the proposed hybrid model provides a quite efficient plausible results.

• 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.

• Korean Journal of Social Welfare
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• v.40
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• pp.68-96
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• 2000

Parental leave in Sweden is a part of the health insurance in national social insurance system. It has two kinds of benefits. One is parental cash benefit paid for both husband and wife on the occasion of child birth, currently 450days for each child. The other is temporary parental cash benefit when a child under the age of twelve or a caretaker for him is illness, which is six months for a child a year. Parental insurance in Sweden permits parents to take care of their children just after birth at home with the amount of 80% of monthly income for 360 days and 60 Swedish krone each day for 90 days more. It also permits parents with children under the age of eight of part-time work and return to former job at full-time base when they want. It consequently encourages women's economic activity in her whole life and contributes to promotion of equality in sex roles between husband and wife. This insurance scheme is beneficient in that it enhances individual and family welfare and also secures labour force. This case study on Swedish parental insurance offers implication how to resolve the conflict between women's increased demand for economic activity and maternal role.

• Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.89-98
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• 2021

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate the perception and satisfaction of caregivers and parents after being covered by health insurance for light-curing composite resin fillings, and to contribute to the settlement of the expansion and coverage of health insurance. Methods: A survey was conducted on caregivers who visited two dental institutions in the Gyeonggi-do area, and parents who joined internet cafes (online communities) in the Gyeonggi-do area from June 2 to September 2, 2020. 225 responses were collected eventually, and 212 valid responses were used as analysis data. Results: 67.0% of the study subjects were aware of the permanent teeth resin fillings being covered by health insurance and the satisfaction was relatively high (91.5%). There was a statistically significant difference in the perception of permanent tooth resin filling benefits according to the child's oral condition (p=0.025) and the parents' own interest in oral health (p=0.039). Conclusions: Based on the results of this study, it is necessary to increase the accessibility to the initial treatment for dental care of children through active promotion of detailed items of permanent teeth resin fillings.