[The determinants of purchasing private health insurance in Korean cancer patients].
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study is to identify factors determining the purchase of private health insurance under the mandatory National Health Insurance(NHI) system in Korea.


METHODS
The data were collected by the National Cancer Center in Korea. It includes cancer patients who were newly diagnosed with stomach (ICD code, C16), lung(C33-C34), liver (C22), colorectal cancer(C18-C20) or breast(C50) cancer. Data were gathered from the hospital Order Communication System (OCS), medical records, and face-to-face interviews, using a structured questionnaire. Clinical, socio-demographic and private health insurance related factors were also gathered.


RESULTS
Overall, 43.9% of patients had purchased one or more private health insurance schemes related to cancer, with an average monthly premium of won 65,311 and an average benefit amount of won 19 million. Females, younger aged, high income earners, national health insurers and metropolitan citizens were more likely to purchase private health insurance than their counterparts.


CONCLUSIONS
About half of Korean people have supplementary private health insurance and their benefits are sufficient to cover the out-of-pocket fees required for cancer treatment, but inequality remains in the purchase of private health insurance. Further studies are needed to investigate the impacts of private health insurance on NHI, and the relationship between cancer patients' burden and benefits.
Lim
Jin Hwa
JH
Division of Cancer Policy and Management, National Cancer Control Research Institute, National Cancer Center, Korea.
Kim
Sung Gyeong
SG
Lee
Eun Mi
EM
Bae
Sin Young
SY
Park
Jae Hyun
JH
Choi
Kui Son
KS
Hahm
Myung-Il
MI
Park
Eun-Cheol
EC
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003657:Decision Making; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007348:Insurance, Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D007723:Korea; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009313:National Health Programs; D009369:Neoplasms; D017149:Private Sector; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires