J Prev Med Public Health.  2007 Mar;40(2):150-154. 10.3961/jpmph.2007.40.2.150.

The Determinants of Purchasing Private Health Insurance in Korean Cancer Patients

Affiliations
  • 1Division of Cancer Policy and Management, National Cancer Control Research Institute, National Cancer Center, Korea. ecpark@ncc.re.kr

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: 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.

Keyword

Cancer; Insurance; Health; Private sector; National Health Programs

MeSH Terms

Questionnaires
*Private Sector
*Neoplasms
National Health Programs
Middle Aged
Male
Korea
Insurance, Health/*utilization
Humans
Female
*Decision Making
Aged
Adult
Full Text Links
  • JPMPH
Actions
Cited
CITED
export Copy
Close
Share
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
Similar articles
Copyright © 2024 by Korean Association of Medical Journal Editors. All rights reserved.     E-mail: koreamed@kamje.or.kr