Pricing-out effect from possible user-fee policies under Taiwan's National Health Insurance.
This article simulates the pricing-out effect due to various user-fee policies under Taiwan's National Health Insurance. Our simulation results indicate that the lower income group is more likely to be priced out of the healthcare system than the higher income group. On average, pricing-out effects are 0.04, 0.21, 0.52 and 0.73% of total beneficiaries with respect to the new co-payment policy, the catastrophic insurance policy, the under insurance policy, and the case of no National Health Insurance, respectively. We caution that a reduction of healthcare utilization due to higher user fees could result in some patients being left behind without professional care because the pricing-out effects could be higher than the substitution effects diverting demand to other professional care alternatives.
Chen
Wen-Yi
WY
Nan Kai University of Technology, 568 Chung Cheng Road, Tsao Tun, 542, Nan Tou County, Taiwan, ROC.
Liang
Yia-Wun
YW
Lin
Yu Hui
YH
D003198:Computer Simulation; D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D005249:Fees and Charges / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D005260:Female; D033161:Government Regulation; D005102:Health Expenditures / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D006291:Health Policy / Q000191:economics*; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000191:economics* / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D054625:Healthcare Disparities; D006801:Humans; D007348:Insurance, Health / Q000191:economics* / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D008297:Male; D018803:Models, Economic; D009313:National Health Programs / Q000191:economics* / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013624:Taiwan