Economic burden among cardiovascular patients of middle-aged and elderly: An empirical analysis based on China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Survey data / 中国卫生政策研究

ABSTRACT

Objectives: China has observed an increasing prevalence of cardiovascular diseases among its population, which is putting heavy economic burden both on individuals and the whole society.Conducting a multi-angle study of cardiovascular patients with economic burden can help adjust the health care policy to reduce the economic burden of patients.Methods: Using the baseline data (2011) and follow-up data (2013) of the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Survey, this study selected cardiovascular patients aged 45 and above to calculate their direct medical cost, direct non-medical cost as well as self-paid cost before and after reimbursement.The total cost and self-paid cost are both calculated, and gender difference and rural-urban difference are also analyzed.Results: The prevalence of cardiovascular disease among the population age 45 and above was 13.9% in 2013 and 12.1% in 2011, while the prevalence in women was higher than in men and urban areas higher than rural areas.The average annual total costs for individual patient before reimbursement in 2013 was lower than that in 2011, but contrary to the trend of self-pay costs.Urban patients had higher amount of direct medical cost, lower co-payment rate and lower non-medical cost such as transportation and accommodation than their rural counterpart.Both urban and rural patients self-paid more on outpatient services than inpatient services.Conclusion: Based on these analyses, this paper suggests that Chinese policy makers should look deeper into patient behaviors as well as their economic burden before revising the current health policy.More practices regarding to the unbalanced distribution of health resources between urban and rural areas are needed, in order to ensure patients living in remote areas could get access to appropriate treatment without paying heavy non-medical cost.