title: Use of health care services and costs of psychiatric disorders among National Health Insurance enrollees in Taiwan.
abstract: The National Health Insurance (NHI) database in Taiwan was used to detect the use of health care services and the costs of psychiatric disorders among NHI enrollees. Data were analyzed for 126,146 enrollees. Four categories were used for enrollees: no psychiatric disorder, a minor psychiatric disorder, a major psychiatric disorder without catastrophic illness registration, and a major psychiatric disorder with catastrophic illness registration (which eliminates copayments). Compared with enrollees with a minor psychiatric disorder, those with a major psychiatric disorder, either with or without catastrophic illness registration, had higher use and costs of mental health care services. Compared with enrollees without a psychiatric disorder, those with a minor psychiatric disorder or a major psychiatric disorder without catastrophic illness registration had higher use and costs of non-mental health care services. Both the mental and general health care of persons with psychiatric disorders are important.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Public Health, National Yang Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: I-Chia
authors.initials: IC
authors.lastname: Chien
authors.forename: Yiing-Jenq
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Chou
authors.forename: Ching-Heng
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Shin-Huey
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Bih
authors.forename: Hong-Jen
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Pesus
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Chou
mesh_terms: D016208:Databases, Factual; D005260:Female; D017048:Health Care Costs; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000191:economics* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D009313:National Health Programs / Q000191:economics* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology