ABSTRACT
Objectives To provide reference for the improve of health care system and healthcare insurance con-trolling method, through researching on the value-based healthcare paying system in South Korea. Methods The basic characteristics of the Korean health care system was researched, Specifically, its reform experiences of value-based health insurance review and assessment paying system,which government took. Results South Korea’s health care pay-ing system had achieved both good social and policy effects. Conclusions Value-based health care paying system is the main reason for the reducing of health care expenditures and making of scientific health policy.
ABSTRACT
With the adoption of national health insurance in 1977, Korea has been utilizing fee-for-service payment with contract-based healthcare reimbursement system in 2000. Under the system, fee-for-service reimbursement has been accused of augmenting national healthcare expenditure by excessively increasing service volume. The researcher examined in this paper two major alternatives including diagnosis related group-based payment and global budget to contemplate the future of reimbursement system of Korean national health insurance. Various literature and preceding studies on pilot project and actual implementation of Neo-KDRG were reviewed. As a result, DRG-based payment was effective for healthcare cost control but low in administrative efficiency. Global budget may be adequate for cost control and improving the quality of healthcare and administrative efficiency. However, many healthcare providers disagree that excess care arising from fee-for-service payment alone has led to financial deterioration of national health insurance and healthcare institutions should take responsibility with global budget payment as an appropriate solution. Dissimilar payment systems may be applied to different types of institutions to reflect their unique attributes, and this process can be achieved step-by-step. Developing public sphere among the stakeholders and striving for consensus shall be kept as collateral to attain the desirable reimbursement system in the future.