BACKGROUNDThe new medical insurance policy (JRSYF(2010) No.255) was released by the Beijing Municipal Government and became effective on January 1, 2011. Medical expenses incurred during a stay in an emergency department (ED) observation unit can be reimbursed as a hospital admission. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of a new charging scheme during stays in ED observation unit under Beijing's Basic Medical Insurance.

METHODSData for those patients who had stayed in ED observation unit in 2010 (before the implementation of a new charging scheme) and 2012 (after the implementation of this policy) were retrospectively analyzed in terms of length of stay, patients who were observed (PO), and median medical costs.

RESULTSAfter the implementation of a new charging scheme, compared with the year of 2010, in year of 2012, there were statistically significant longer lengths of stay at the observation unit (6 (4-9) vs. 5 (4-7) days; P < 0.001), more PO (2 257 vs. 1 783; P < 0.001), and more median medical costs (RMB 6 026 vs. 3 650 Yuan; P < 0.01). The proportion of elderly patients (≥ 60 years of age) in 2012 was larger than that in 2010 (70.22% vs. 63.71%; P < 0.01). It was performed on those patients who were admitted after the implementation of a new charging scheme. Compared with patients who were not admitted had stayed in ED observation units, the patients who were admitted had stayed in ED observation units that had a higher proportion for >15 days (36.22% vs. 5.61%; P < 0.01); they had higher median medical costs RMB (9 186 vs. 5 668 Yuan; P < 0.001) and they were more elderly (≥ 60 years of age) (86.10% vs. 66.39%; P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONSThe new charging scheme under Beijing's Basic Medical Insurance allows patients to get access to inpatient admission more easily. It lowers patients' financial burden in ED observation unit. Since more people stay at ED observation unit, it increases ED payments by the insurance system. However, it slows the turnover rate of ED observation unit and causes overcrowding in ED. Hence, the advantages and disadvantages of the new policy are obvious.

Adult ; Aged ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; economics ; Female ; Hospitalization ; economics ; Humans ; Insurance, Health ; economics ; Length of Stay ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies

OBJECTIVES: The goal of this study was to perform an economic analysis of a primary stenting with drug-eluting stents (DES) compared with bare-metal stents (BMS) in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) admitted through an emergency room (ER) visit in Korea using population-based data. METHODS: We employed a cost-minimization method using a decision analytic model with a two-year time period. Model probabilities and costs were obtained from a published systematic review and population-based data from which a retrospective database analysis of the national reimbursement database of Health Insurance Review and Assessment covering 2006 through 2010 was performed. Uncertainty was evaluated using one-way sensitivity analyses and probabilistic sensitivity analyses. RESULTS: Among 513 979 cases with AMI during 2007 and 2008, 24 742 cases underwent stenting procedures and 20 320 patients admitted through an ER visit with primary stenting were identified in the base model. The transition probabilities of DES-to-DES, DES-to-BMS, DES-to-coronary artery bypass graft, and DES-to-balloon were 59.7%, 0.6%, 4.3%, and 35.3%, respectively, among these patients. The average two-year costs of DES and BMS in 2011 Korean won were 11 065 528 won/person and 9 647 647 won/person, respectively. DES resulted in higher costs than BMS by 1 417 882 won/person. The model was highly sensitive to the probability and costs of having no revascularization. CONCLUSIONS: Primary stenting with BMS for AMI with an ER visit was shown to be a cost-saving procedure compared with DES in Korea. Caution is needed when applying this finding to patients with a higher level of severity in health status.
Drug-Eluting Stents/*economics ; Emergency Service, Hospital/economics ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Metals ; Middle Aged ; Myocardial Infarction/economics/*therapy ; Republic of Korea ; Retrospective Studies ; Stents/*economics

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to test our hypothesis that a raise in the emergency fee implemented on March 1, 2013 has increased the proportion of patients with emergent symptoms by discouraging non-urgent emergency department visits. METHODS: We conducted an analysis of 728 736 patients registered in the National Emergency Department Information System who visited level 1 and level 2 emergency medical institutes in the two-month time period from February 1, 2013, one month before the raise in the emergency fee, to March 31, 2013, one month after the raise. A difference-in-difference method was used to estimate the net effects of a raise in the emergency fee on the probability that an emergency visit is for urgent conditions. RESULTS: The percentage of emergency department visits in urgent or equivalent patients increased by 2.4% points, from 74.2% before to 76.6% after the policy implementation. In a group of patients transferred using public transport or ambulance, who were assumed to be least conscious of cost, the change in the proportion of urgent patients was not statistically significant. On the other hand, the probability that a group of patients directly presenting to the emergency department by private transport, assumed to be most conscious of cost, showed a 2.4% point increase in urgent conditions (p<0.001). This trend appeared to be consistent across the level 1 and level 2 emergency medical institutes. CONCLUSIONS: A raise in the emergency fee implemented on March 1, 2013 increased the proportion of urgent patients in the total emergency visits by reducing emergency department visits by non-urgent patients.
Adult ; Ambulances ; Direct Service Costs ; Emergency Service, Hospital/*economics/*statistics & numerical data ; *Fees and Charges ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Regression Analysis ; Time Factors

We sought to assess continuity of care for elderly patients in Korea and to examine any association between continuity of care and health outcomes (hospitalization, emergency department visits, health care costs). This was a retrospective cohort study using the Korea National Health Insurance Claims Database. Elderly people, 65-84 yr of age, who were first diagnosed with diabetes mellitus (n=268,220), hypertension (n=858,927), asthma (n=129,550), or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD, n=131,512) in 2002 were followed up for four years, until 2006. The mean of the Continuity of Care Index was 0.735 for hypertension, 0.709 for diabetes mellitus, 0.700 for COPD, and 0.663 for asthma. As continuity of care increased, in all four diseases, the risks of hospitalization and emergency department visits decreased, as did health care costs. In the Korean health care system, elderly patients with greater continuity of care with health care providers had lower risks of hospital and emergency department use and lower health care costs. In conclusion, policy makers need to develop and try actively the program to improve the continuity of care in elderly patients with chronic diseases.
Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Asthma/*economics ; Cohort Studies ; Continuity of Patient Care/*economics ; Costs and Cost Analysis ; Databases, Factual ; Diabetes Mellitus/*economics ; Emergency Service, Hospital/economics ; Female ; Hospitalization/economics ; Humans ; Hypertension/*economics ; Male ; National Health Programs ; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive/*economics ; Republic of Korea ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk