title: Influence of the New Cooperative Medical Scheme on hospitalization cost of patients with nephrotic syndrome in rural China.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Rural residents are benefitting from the current New Cooperative Medical Scheme (NCMS) in China. Treatment of diseases has improved and the total cost of hospitalization has decreased significantly because of the application of NCMS. Most articles in this area have mainly focused on the policy of NCMS, but few studies have been relevant to the influence of NCMS on a specific disease and the cost. In the present study, the impact of NCMS on hospitalization costs of patient with nephrotic syndrome from the countryside was investigated and discussed.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three hundred and ninety patients from China and with nephrotic syndrome were enrolled into the present study and were divided into two groups according to whether they had joined the NCMS. The total hospitalization cost, check cost (such as laboratory testing and ultrasound), drugs cost, length of stay in hospital and ratio of renal biopsy in all patients were analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The expenses for individuals decreased significantly in patients who were part of the NCMS, in contrast with the patients without the NCMS (p<0.001). The ratio of renal biopsy increased significantly in patients who were part of the NCMS (p<0.01). There was no significant difference in cost and length of stay between the two groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The NCMS contributes to reducing personal expenses and therapy of disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Internal Medicine, National Hospital of Jinan City. 1158780604@qq.com.
authors.forename: Suping
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of General Internal Medicine, National Hospital of Jinan City. 1158780604@qq.com.
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of General Internal Medicine, National Hospital of Jinan City. 1158780604@qq.com.
authors.forename: Wenlu
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephrology, Shandong University Qilu Hospital. lichee@126.com.
authors.forename: Xiangdong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephrology, Shandong University Qilu Hospital. lichee@126.com.
authors.forename: Zhao
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephrology, Shandong University Qilu Hospital. sesame_oil@126.com.
authors.forename: Tao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Peng
mesh_terms: D002681:China; D005260:Female; D005382:Financing, Personal; D005102:Health Expenditures / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000191:economics*; D006780:Hospitals, Rural / Q000191:economics*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009404:Nephrotic Syndrome / Q000191:economics* / Q000628:therapy*; D019035:Rural Health Services / Q000191:economics
keywords: Asia; Medical; Public Health