J Korean Ophthalmol Soc.  2021 Jul;62(7):948-956. 10.3341/jkos.2021.62.7.948.

Proportion and Reasons for Ineligibility to Re-register for Extended Health Insurance in Neovascular Age-related Macular Degeneration

Affiliations
  • 1Kim’s Eye Hospital, Seoul, Korea

Abstract

Purpose
To evaluate the proportion and reasons for ineligibility to re-register for extended health insurance at 5 years in patients diagnosed with neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and registered for extended health insurance.
Methods
This retrospective study was performed in patients diagnosed with neovascular AMD and registered for extended health insurance with follow-up for at least 5 years. The criteria for re-registration for extended health insurance were determined along with the ineligibility for re-registration.
Results
In total, 263 patients were included in the analysis. Of these, 148 (56.3%) did not satisfy the criteria for re-registration. No active treatment was performed in 98 patients during the last 6 months of the study period (no recurrence, 51 patients; additional treatment was not considered beneficial due to retinal damage even without disciform scar formation, 44 patients). Macular disciform scar formation was noted in 50 patients (33.8%). Older age (p = 0.013), poor visual acuity (p = 0.004), and retinal angiomatous proliferation (p < 0.001) were associated with ineligibility for re-registration due to severe retinal damage.
Conclusions
Among the patients who were initially registered for extended health insurance, 56.3% failed to satisfy the re-registration criteria. The primary reason was advanced retinal damage. The results of this study provide useful information for patient education and to establish long-term treatment strategies.

Keyword

Age-related macular degeneration, Health insurance reinforcement, Register
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