Health Insurance Utilization and Its Impact: Observations from the Middle-Aged and Elderly in China

• Published in: PloS one Vol. 8; no. 12; p. e80978
• Main Authors: Wang, Yu, Jiang, Yan, Li, Yang, Wang, Xiaojun, Ma, Chi, Ma, Shuangge
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Public Library of Science 06.12.2013; Public Library of Science (PLoS)
• Subjects: Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Analysis; China; Female; Geriatrics; Health; Health Care Costs - statistics & numerical data; Health care policy; Health Care Surveys; Health insurance; Health insurance industry; Health services; Health Services Accessibility - statistics & numerical data; Health Services Needs and Demand - statistics & numerical data; Health Services Needs and Demand - utilization; Humans; Income; Insurance; Insurance coverage; Insurance Coverage - statistics & numerical data; Insurance Coverage - utilization; Insurance, Health - statistics & numerical data; Insurance, Health - utilization; Male; Medical treatment; Middle Aged; Multivariate analysis; Older people; Self care (Health); Studies; Surveys; Utilization; China; New Haven Connecticut; Beijing China; United States > US
• ISSN: 1932-6203; 1932-6203
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0080978

In China, despite a high coverage rate, health insurance is not used for all illness episodes. Our goal is to identify subjects' characteristics associated with insurance utilization and the association between utilization and medical expenditure. A survey was conducted in January and February of 2012. 2093 middle-aged and elderly subjects (45 years old and above) were surveyed. Heath insurance was not utilized for 12.6% (inpatient), 53.3% (outpatient), and 72.6% (self-treatment) of disease episodes. Subjects' characteristics were associated with insurance utilization. Inpatient and outpatient treatments were expensive. In the multivariate analysis of outpatient treatment expenditure, insurance utilization was significantly associated with higher treatment cost, lost income, and gross total cost. Utilization of health insurance may need to be improved. Insurance utilization can reduce out-of-pocket medical expenditure. However, the amount paid by the insured is still high. Policy intervention is needed to further improve the effectiveness of health insurance.