• 보건행정학회지
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• 제11권4호
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• pp.1-20
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• 2001

Korean government had introduced copayment system as cost sharing to office-based medical care in order to reduce the demand for care in 1986. This review focuses on trends and characteristics of copayment on office-based medical care from 1991 to the end of Jan. 2001. Objectives of this study is ${\circled}1$ to analyse historical trends of copayment on office-based medical care during the last decade, ${\circled}2$ to analyse the effect of copayment introduced to office-based medical care on NHI finance, ${\circled}3$ to analyse the changing trends of the size of copayment in utilizing office-based medical care for the past 10 years, ${\circled}4$ to evaluate the meaning of copayment alteration implemented after the introduction of new prescription system and finally ${\circled}5$ to draw a some policy implications from the results of this review. We found that the main purpose of copayment introduction had been reduction in the expenditure of NHI finance. But, the reduction effect of insurer's expenditure has turned out to be negative and NHI finance has been in crisis after the introduction of new prescription system. Also, the copayment level of the insured has increased actually on a large scale. It seems that the introduction of new prescription system has changed the meanings and its policy implications of copayment system.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• 제50권6호
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• pp.393-400
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• 2017

Objectives: To relieve the financial burden faced by households, the Korean National Health Insurance (NHI) system introduced a "copayment ceiling," which evolved into a differential ceiling in 2009, with the copayment ceiling depending on patients' income. This study aimed to examine the effect of the differential copayment ceiling on financial protection and healthcare utilization, particularly focusing on whether its effects varied across different income groups. Methods: This study obtained data from the Korea Health Panel. The number of households included in the analysis was 6555 in 2008, 5859 in 2009, 5539 in 2010, and 5372 in 2011. To assess the effects of the differential copayment ceiling on utilization, out-of-pocket (OOP) payments, and catastrophic payments, various random-effects models were applied. Utilization was measured as treatment days, while catastrophic payments were defined as OOP payments exceeding 10% of household income. Among the right-hand side variables were the interaction terms of the new policy with income levels, as well as a set of household characteristics. Results: The differential copayment ceiling contributed to increased utilization regardless of income levels both in all patients and in cancer patients. However, the new policy did not seem to reduce significantly the incidence of catastrophic payments among cancer patients, and even increased the incidence among all patients. Conclusions: The limited effect of the differential ceiling can be attributed to a high proportion of direct payments for services not covered by the NHI, as well as the relatively small number of households benefiting from the differential ceilings; these considerations warrant a better policy design.

• 보건행정학회지
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• 제24권1호
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• pp.24-34
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• 2014

Background: Bankrupted households have recently been increased due to excessive medical expenditure in Korea. They have not been protected from economic risk when household's member has severe diseases that need a lot of money for treatment. Purpose of this study examines policy effect by comparing unmet needs' change of policy object households and non-object groups. Methods: We used Korea Health panel 2nd 4th data collected by Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs and National Health Insurance Service. Analysis subjects were 381 households (pre-policy) and 393 households (post-policy) that had cancer and cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. Since it was major concern that estimates benefit strengthening policy started by certain time, we setup comparing households which had diabetes, hypertension disease. Comparison subjects were 393,247 households, respectively and we evaluated policy effect using difference in difference (DID) model. Results: Although unmet needs of policy object households were higher than non-object groups, policy execution variable affected negative direction. But interaction-term which shows pure effect of policy was not statistically significant. We utilized multi-DID model to examine factors affecting unmet needs causes. Copayment assistance policy did not significantly affect households that responded to 'economic reason,' and 'no have time to visit' for unmet needs causes. Conclusion: The second copayment assistance policy did not significantly give positive effect to beneficiary households than non-beneficiary groups. When we consider that primary purpose of public insurance guarantee high medical expenditure occurred by unexpected events, it needs to deliberate on switch of benefit strengthening policy that can assist vulnerable people. Also, we suggest that government forward a policy covering non-reimbursable medical expenses as well as switch of benefit strengthening direction because benefit policy do not affect non-covered medical cost which accounts for quarter of total health expenditure.

• 한국병원경영학회지
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• 제26권3호
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• pp.1-12
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• 2021

Purpose: This study aims to examine the effect of the copayment reduction policy on the health care utilization of patients under age 15 after the policy started in 2017. (이하는 아래 methodoloty로 이동) Methodology: Data on the ALOS, the average admission cost, and the out-of-pocket expenditure for patients under 15 years of age from 2015 to 2019 were obtained from the National Health Insurance database. Policy effects were measured by analyzing three dependent variables before and after policy: the average length of stay (ALOS), the average admission cost, and the out-of-pocket expenditure for patients under 15 years of age. The collected data were analyzed using the SAS package, and the analysis methods used in this study were the mean difference test and linear regression analysis. Findings: The study results reveal that, after the copayment reduction policy in the year 2017, the ALOS and the out-of-pocket expenditure were significantly decreased, but the average admission cost was significantly increased. Practical Implications: These results imply that the policy of copayment reduction for the patients under the age of 15 has contributed to mitigating the patients' financial burden with little concern about growing medical utilization.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제15권13호
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• pp.5265-5270
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• 2014

Background: In Korea, the National Health Insurance program has initiated various copayment policies over a decade in order to alleviate patient financial burden. This study investigated healthcare spending and utilization in the last 12 months of life among patients who died with lung cancer by various copayment policy windows. Materials and Methods: We performed a retrospective cohort study using nationwide lung cancer health insurance claims data from 2002 to 2012. We used descriptive and multivariate methods to compare spending measured by total costs, payer costs, copayments, and utilization (measured by length of stay or outpatient days). Using 1,4417,380 individual health insurance claims (inpatients: 673,122, outpatients: 744,258), we obtained aggregated healthcare spending and utilization of 155,273 individual patient (131,494 inpatient and 103,855 outpatient) records. Results: National spending and utilization is growing, with a significant portion of inpatient healthcare spending and utilization occurring during the end-of-life period. Specifically, inpatients were more likely to have more spending and utilization as they got close to death. As coverage expanded, copayments decreased, but overall costs increased due to increased utilization. The trends were the same in both inpatient and outpatient services. Multivariate analysis confirmed the associations. Conclusions: We found evidence of the higher end of life healthcare spending and utilizations in lung cancer patients occurring as coverage expanded. The practice pattern within a hospital might be influenced by coverage policies. Health policy makers should consider initiating various health policies since these influence the long-term outcomes of service performance and overall healthcare spending and utilization.

• 보건행정학회지
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• 제34권2호
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• pp.196-210
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• 2024

연구배경: 2018년 1월 의원급(의원, 치과의원, 한의원) 노인외래정액제 개선안이 시행되었다. 정액진료비 상한금액인 1만 5,000원 이하 진료를 받은 경우의 본인부담금은 기존과 동일하다. 개선안은 정액진료비 상한금액인 1만 5,000원 초과 진료를 받은 경우의 본인부담금을 차등적으로 인하하였는데, 1만 5,000원 초과 2만 원 이하 구간의 본인부담금은 진료비의 30%에서 10%로, 2만 원 초과 2만 5,000원 이하 구간의 본인부담금은 진료비의 30%에서 20%로 인하하였다. 우리나라는 급격한 인구 고령화로 고령인구와 노인진료비가 빠르게 증가하고 있고, 노인빈곤율이 경제협력개발기구 회원국 중 가장 높다. 연구는 건강보험 지속 가능성 유지와 노인복지 향상을 위하여 노인외래정액제 개선이 고령층의 의료이용에 미친 영향을 종합적으로 확인하려고 한다. 방법: 연구는 한국의료패널 자료를 사용하여 노인외래정액제 개선 이후 고령층의 의료이용 변화를 추정하였다. 연구는 단절적 시계열 연구 중 구간별 회귀분석을 분석에 이용하였고, 진료비 구간별 및 의원 종류별 외래진료 횟수, 입원횟수 및 일수 변화는 포아송 구간별 회귀분석을, 외래 및 입원진료비 변화는 구간별 회귀분석을 이용하여 추정하였다. 구간별 회귀분석은 개입으로 인한 효과와 시간의 흐름에 따른 효과를 구분할 수 있게 해주어, 개입이 없더라도 발생했을 변화와 개입으로 인한 변화를 명확하게 추정할 수 있도록 해준다. 의료이용에 영향을 미칠 것으로 예상되는 성별, 연령, 교육수준, 소득, 배우자 유무, 장애 정도, 지역, 주관적 건강인식, 질병 및 손상으로 인한 일상생활 제한 여부, 응급 및 입원 수술 여부, 응급실 이용횟수, 만성질환 개수, 계절은 통제변수로 포함하였다. 결과: 노인외래정액제 개선 직후 본인부담 변화가 없던 의원, 한의원 진료비 1만 5,000원 이하 구간의 외래진료 횟수가 감소하였다. 그러나 본인부담이 감소한 의원 1만 5,000원 초과 2만 원 이하 구간과 한의원 2만 원 초과 2만 5,000원 이하 구간의 외래진료 횟수는 증가하였다. 치과의원의 외래진료 횟수 변화는 통계적으로 유의하지 않았다. 입원율은 노인외래정액제 개선 직후 감소하였지만, 이후 다시 증가하였다. 외래진료비 중 본인부담금은 노인외래정액제 개선 직후 감소하였다. 입원진료비와 외래와 입원진료비를 합한 총진료비는 노인외래정액제 개선 직후 감소하였다가 이후 다시 증가하였다. 결론: 분석결과를 통해 노인외래정액제 개선 이후 일시적인 의료이용 증가와 본인부담금 감소를 확인할 수 있었다. 총진료비 중 입원이 차지하는 비중이 외래보다 크기 때문에, 노인외래정액제 개선이 고령 환자의 의료비 부담 완화에 미친 영향은 매우 제한적이었다. 장기적으로 고령 환자의 의료비 부담 완화와 건강보험 지속 가능성 유지를 위해서는 본인부담 완화 정책과 질병 악화로 인한 입원을 예방하기 위한 만성질환 관리정책이 함께 이루어져야 할 것으로 보인다. 연구의 결과는 정책을 수립할 때 본인부담 변화가 고령층의 의료이용 행태에 미치는 영향에 대한 기초정보를 제공할 수 있을 것으로 기대된다.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• 제43권6호
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• pp.496-504
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• 2010

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to analyze the effect of outpatient cost-sharing on health care utilization by the elderly. Methods: The data in this analysis was the health insurance claims data between July 1999 and December 2008 (114 months). The study group was divided into two age groups, namely 60-64 years old and 65-69 years old. This study evaluated the impact of policy change on office visits, the office visits per person, and the percentage of the copayment-paid visits in total visits. Interrupted time series and segmented regression model were used for statistical analysis. Results: The results showed that outpatient cost-sharing decreased office visits, but it also decreased the percentage of copayment-paid visits, implying that the intensity of care increased. There was little difference in the results between the two age groups. But after the introduction of the coinsurance system for those patients under age 65, office visits and the percentage of copayment-paid visits decreased, and the 60-64 years old group had a larger decrease than the 65-69 years old group. Conclusions: This study evaluated the effects of outpatient cost-sharing on health care utilization by the aged. Cost sharing of the elderly had little effect on controlling health care utilization.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• 제25권1호
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• pp.73-87
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• 1992

The level of copayment increased in order to stabilize the financial condition of the health insurance on 1986. An important question regarding the policy was whether the increase in the level of copayments reduced the utilization of medical services in the poor selectively. In spite of the importance of the research question, no study has been reported. This study was designed to find out changes in numbers of physician visits, to explain characteristics influencing the difference of utilization before and after the program. Finally the interaction effect between the program and the level of income was examined for the abover question. A total of 10,421 persons from eight institutions was selected as the study sample. Research findings are as follows. 1. The number of physician visits decreased by ten percent as a result of increasing the level of copayment. 2. The decrease was remarkable in some groups such as children, rural area and large family. 3. The most important factor which explained the difference was the number of physician visits before the introduction of the new program. The more numbers of physian visits during the last year were, the more numbers of physian visits decreased after the program. 4. The interaction term between the program and the level of income was statistically significant in the multiple regression model which explained physician visits and its coefficient was negative. It means that an increase in copayment did not reduced the number of physician visits in the poor, selectively. 5. It can be concluded that imposing adequate copayment reduces the use of medical services as well as medical costs without serious damage in access especially for the poor people.

• 보건행정학회지
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• 제7권1호
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• pp.73-99
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• 1997

This study was carried out by using questionnaires with 126 insurance societies from Sept. 30, 1995 to Oct. 18, 1995. The primary data collected bythe survey have been significantly supplemented by secondary data obtained from sources such as health insurance statistical year books and internal data in the Ministry of Health and Wolfare. Major findings were summarized as follows: Two financial coordinating programs have significantly improved financial status of regional health insurance societies: the catastrophic program for high cost medical care that was initiated in 1991 and the program for hospitalization cost of the aged in 1995. Another finding is that there existed ambiguity and inconsistency of equity index that had been used by stabilization programs and its side effects could not be ignored. Regression analyses were made to identify factors that affect financial transfers. Inde pendent variables in the regression include utilization frequency, dependancy ration, insurance contribution per insured and medical expense per insured. All these variables were statistically significant in the equations of applying distribution rate (distribution/contribution) and transfer rate (transfer/contribution) as dependent variables. Policy suggestions for the catastrophic program for high cost medical care are modifying the definition of catastrophic case and setting the maximum amount of subsidies for each society based on distribution rates. To solve the problems of the financial coordinating program for the aged, we could consider reimbursing more than 50% of the copayment incurred by the aged 65 or more and determining the maximum amount of outpatient copayment at 10,000 Won per day or per visit for the elderly. More fundamental improvement could be made by amending the Welfare Benefit Act to establish and expand medical and welfare facilities for the elderly.

• 보건행정학회지
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• 제30권2호
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• pp.185-191
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• 2020

Background: From January 2018, a policy was applied to differentially apply the co-payment for medical expenses of 15,000 won or more from 30% to 10%-30% for each medical fee. This policy lowers the burden on the medical use of the elderly, and it is necessary to analyze the effect of the policy by confirming changes in medical use and supply behavior after 2 years. Methods: The National Health Insurance Service's national medical use database was used. As for the analysis method, first, the medical use and medical supply behavior change over the age of 65 years were confirmed, and second, in order to check the net effect of the policy, the 66-year-old as the experimental group and the 63-year-old as the control group were selected as the control group. The propensity score matching was performed using the variables of age, living alone, income quartile, residence, disability, chronic disease, and co-morbid disease scores, and then it was analyzed using the difference in difference analysis method. Results: The share of the number of treatments under 15,000 won decreased from 37.0% in 2017 to 20.2% in 2018, while the share of the number of treatments under 15,001-20,000 won increased from 8.0% to 22.7%. It was confirmed that the reason for the increase in the cost of treatment per treatment was the result of the increase in the amount of physical therapy and examination. As a result of the policy effect, the burden of co-payment per person was reduced, and as a result, the number of hospital visits per person and the total medical cost per person increased. Conclusion: The self-pay rate differential policy reduced the burden of medical expenses for the elderly and confirmed the increase in medical use. However, the interpretation of the increase in medical use was not able to distinguish whether the unsatisfactory medical care was satisfied or the inducement demand. Efficient allocation of resources is a more important point in the future when the super-aged society is in front. It is necessary to prepare a plan to induce rational medical use within a range that does not impair the medical accessibility of the elderly.