Rehabilitation-related Medical Expenses and the Revision of Medical Service Fees / The Japanese Journal of Rehabilitation Medicine

ABSTRACT

Increased average life expectancy results in increasing numbers of elderly persons and medical expenses. In this study, changes in rehabilitation-related medical expenses were investigated from 2006 to 2014. Data were obtained via the “Survey of Medical Care Activities in Public Health Insurance.” The number of times and points that demanded medical service fees for “rehabilitation” were examined according to disease group.<br>In 2014, the rehabilitation point per day was 5.3％ for inpatient medical care（2.9％ per year increase）and 1.3％ for outpatient medical care（9.2％ per year increase). Proportions of time according to disease group were 48.9％ for cerebrovascular disease rehabilitation, 46.8％ for musculoskeletal rehabilitation, 2.4％ for respiratory rehabilitation, 1.4％ for cardiovascular disease rehabilitation, and 0.4％ for cancer rehabilitation. Proportions of points according to disease group were 55.8％ for cerebrovascular disease rehabilitation, 39.8％ for musculoskeletal rehabilitation, 2.4％ for respiratory rehabilitation, 1.7％ for cardiovascular disease rehabilitation, and 0.4％ for cancer rehabilitation.<br>The number of times and points increased in each disease group except for disuse syndrome in cerebrovascular disease rehabilitation. Disuse syndrome for times and points were 16.0％（30.3％ per year decrease）and 12.1％（46.4％ per year decrease）respectively；the total number of times rose 3.4％ while the total number of points rose 2.7％ per year. The early addition increased annually for number of times and points together in each disease group except for cerebrovascular disease rehabilitation. Rehabilitation-related medical expenses increased annually and the growth rate was substantial for all medical expenses, indicating an increase in rehabilitation medical care.