Factors Affecting the Purchase of Indemnity Private Health Insurance and Related Factors of Outpatient Healthcare Utilization among Chronic Disease Patients

만성질환자에서 실손형 민간의료보험의 가입 관련 요인과 외래 의료이용의 관련 요인

  • Hur, Jung Won (Graduate School of Healthcare Management, the Catholic University of Korea) ;
  • Kwon, Young Dae (Department of Humanities and Social Medicine, College of Medicine and Catholic Institute for Healthcare Management, the Catholic University of Korea)
  • 허정원 (가톨릭대학교 의료경영대학원) ;
  • 권영대 (가톨릭대학교 의과대학 인문사회의학과 및 가톨릭의료경영연구소)
  • Received : 2019.02.24
  • Accepted : 2019.03.12
  • Published : 2019.09.30

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate determinants of purchasing indemnity private health insurance and its impact on the healthcare utilization among outpatients with chronic disease. Methods: The study analyzed 4,997 chronic ill patients using 2015 Korean Health Panel data. Logistic regression analysis was conducted to analyze the factors affecting the purchase of indemnity private health insurance and multiple regression analysis was conducted to analyze the effect of private health insurance on the number of outpatient visits and outpatient expenditures. Findings: The age, education level, and number of chronic diseases were significant factors affecting the purchasing of indemnity private health insurance among chronic patients. As a result of analyzing the impact of indemnity private health insurance on healthcare utilization, the number of outpatient visits for those who enrolled in the indemnity private health insurance was higher than the number of outpatient visits for those who did not. But there was no statistically significant difference in outpatient medical expenses. Practical Implications: The results of this study shows that indemnity private health insurance may cause inequality in the healthcare utilization of the socially vulnerable. It is necessary to seek ways to strengthen the health security of chronic disease patients and high-risk elderly people who need more healthcare.

Keywords

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