The Research on the Outpatient Cost Adjustment Framework of the Urban Workers in a Southern China City During 2013 to 2015

• Main Authors: Na Wang Msc, Ruiming Liu PhD, Jinglin Lu MA, Peng Quan PhD, Zongfu Mao PhD
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: SAGE Publishing 2019-12-01
• Series: Inquiry: The Journal of Health Care Organization, Provision, and Financing
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1177/0046958019894093

Based on a large amount of data, the study aimed to analyze all expenses of outpatients in a southern China city from 2013 to 2015. It draws a conclusion that the total cost of outpatient has increased in the past 3 years, and various cost indexes either increased or decreased in different ways. Drug costs and treatment fees are the main influencing factors for the change in total outpatient cost. The structural change from 2013 to 2015 was 70.15%. Drug costs, laboratory fees, and inspection fees are the main indexes that account for the increasing total outpatient costs. This study puts emphasis on the cost of human resources, which eliminates the phenomenon of “Yi Yao Yang Yi” (support medical cost with medicine) and “Yi Xie Yang Yi” (support medical cost with medical device). This study also focuses on the balance of outpatient cost, as well as the compensation function of medical insurance, which encourages multiple participation and coordinated adjustment.