Effect of health insurance on direct hospitalisation costs for in-patients with ischaemic stroke in China.

Objectives The aim of the present study was to determine the direct medical costs of hospitalisations for ischaemic stroke (IS) in-patients with different types of health insurance in China and to analyse the demographic characteristics of hospitalised patients, based on data supplied by the China Health Insurance Research Association (CHIRA). Methods A nationwide and cross-sectional sample of IS in-patients with International Classifications of Diseases 10th Revision (ICD-10) Code I63 who were ensured under either the Basic Medical Insurance Scheme for Employees (BMISE) or the Basic Medical Insurance Scheme for Urban Residents (BMISUR) was extracted from the CHIRA claims database. A retrospective analysis was used with regard to patient demographics, total hospital charges and costs. Results Of the 49588 hospitalised patients who had been diagnosed with IS in the CHIRA claims database, 28850 (58.2%) were men (mean age 67.34 years) and 20738 (41.8%) were women (mean age 69.75 years). Of all patients, 40347 (81.4%) were insured by the BMISE, whereas 8724 (17.6%) were insured by the BMISUR; the mean age of these groups was 68.55 and 67.62 years respectively. For BMISE-insured in-patients, the cost per hospitalisation was RMB10131 (95% confidence interval (CI) 10014-10258), the cost per hospital day was RMB787 (95% CI 766-808), the out-of-pocket costs per patient were RMB2346 (95% CI 2303-2388) and the reimbursement rate was 74.61% (95% CI 74.48-74.73%). For BMISUR-insured in-patients the cost per hospitalisation was RMB7662 (95% CI 7473-7852), the cost per hospital day was RMB744 (95% CI 706-781), the out-of-pocket costs per patient were RMB3356 (95% CI 3258-3454) and the reimbursement rate was 56.46% (95% CI 56.08-56.84%). Conclusions Costs per hospitalisation, costs per hospital day and the reimbursement rate were higher for BMISE- than BMISUR-insured in-patients, but BMISE-insured patients had lower out-of-pocket costs. The financial burden was higher for BMISUR- than BMISE-insured in-patients. For BMISUR-insured in-patients, the out-of-pocket payment was 43.54% of total expenses, which means the government should increase the financial investment, raise reimbursement rates and set up differential reimbursements to meet the health needs of in-patients with different income levels. What is known about the topic? Cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases are major non-communicable diseases affecting the health of the Chinese population. The China Health Statistics Yearbook (2013) reported that across all in-patients, 195million (5.82%) had been discharged with a diagnosis of cerebrovascular disease. Of these, 118million had IS, accounting for 60.51% of all in-patients with cerebrovascular disease and 54.97% of hospitalisation costs for all cerebrovascular disease in-patients. After the two basic insurance systems, namely the BMISE and BMISUR, had been established, the out-of-pocket expenses for patients were reduced. However, to date there have been no studies investigating how the different types of health insurance (i.e. the BMISE and the BMISUR) affected the costs of treatment of IS in-patients in China. What does this paper add? This paper reports the direct costs for patients diagnosed with IS based on data supplied by the CHIRA. Direct hospitalisation costs depending on the type of insurance cover, age and gender were also evaluated. What are the implications for practitioners? The present study found that the personal financial burden of disease treatment was higher for in-patients insured under the BMISUR than BMISE. For in-patients insured under the BMISUR, the out-of-pocket payment was 43.54% of total expenses, which means the government should increase the financial investment, raise reimbursement rates and set up differential reimbursement rates to meet the health needs of patients with different incomes.

Analysis of Medicine Utilization Variation of Inpatient Participated Insurance after Implementing the 2009 Edition of National Reimbursement Drug List / 中国卫生经济

Objective:To understand the impact of adjusting national drug reimbursement list(NDRL) have on the benefits of patient covered by Basic Health Insurance ( BHI ) , medical insurance fund expenditure and specific drug marketing . Methods: Based on the survey data of medical service utilization situation of national inpatients participated BHI, to summarize and analyze the change of drug usage from 2009 to 2011. Results: In 2011, the drug expense of the national inpatient covered by BHI is approximately 132.7 billion yuan, increased by 37% compared to that of 2009; among which, the expense of entry drug accounts for about 76% out of the total drug use. In 2011, new increased expense on drug use is 13.5 billion, which increased to 98% compared to that of 2009. Conclusion:Adjustment of NDRL had little effect on total drug expenses increasing, but lead changes of the drug expense structure; and expense on some new entry drugs increased obviously. The focus of future adjustment of NRDL could gradually transfer from guaranteeing on basic medicine use to the promotion on clinical rational drug use.

Health Equity and Health Performance of Urban Residents in China / 中国卫生经济

Objective: To analyze the status and general trend of urban residents’ health equity and health performance. Methods:Adopting standardization of concentration index, the extended concentration index and health performance index. Results: Chronic disease and self-assessed health of urban residents in China gradually improved from 2007 to 2011, while disability of those people did not improve significantly. Health inequity exists among urban residents with different incomes. Chronic disease and disability are inclined to the poor while self-assessed health is inclined to the rich, but the unfair degree has decreased gradually by year; the self-assessed health and the health performance of chronic disease has been improved from the comprehensive health level and equity, the disability sustains serious condition. Conclusion: China’s new health care reform does not significantly improve the domestic urban residents’ health equity and health performance, the objective set of the health care reform in China should pay more attention to health equity.

Appropriate doctor-seeking management model for hypertension patients under medical insurance in China's urban communities / 中华医院管理杂志

Objective To probe into a doctor-seeking medical management model for China's urban hypertension patients under medical insurance, and enhance the level and quality of medical insurance management. Methods Hypertension patients were surveyed with a structured questionnaire, and the staff at community health centers and medical insurance management centers received qualitative interview. Results The hypertension patients are found to see doctors mostly at community health centers and tertiary hospitals; complaints among hypertension patients for existing medical insurance vary with their areas, mostly targeting on complicated reimbursement procedure, high threshold of medical insurance payment and low level of reimbursement. Recommendation Experiment with the single-disease payment for hypertension, with the total prepayment in per capita and per disease; greater efforts in hypertension control in communities, with more favorable medical insurance policies for communities;elevated collaboration with medical institutions at all levels, and building and standardizing the management information network for hypertension patients.