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KMID : 1170320100160020039
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Korean Journal of Health Economics and Policy
2010 Volume.16 No. 2 p.39 ~ p.56
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Income-related inequality in medical care utilization by provider types
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Rhim Kook-Hwan
Lee Jun-Hyup
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Abstract
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The purpose of this study is to examine the pattern of income-related inequality in medical care utilization of both outpatient and inpatient by provider types. We measured income-related inequality in medical care utilization by using concentration indices and also measured standardized income-related medical care utilization inequality(CHI) adjusted for medical needs. Age, gender, self-assessed health and activity limits variables are used in order to adjust medical needs among income groups. All unstandardized concentration indices(C) in outpatient visits by provider types have negative values which refer to inequality favoring the poor. After standardizing for need differences in physician visits, pro-poor inequality nearly disappears, which indicates equal treatment for equal need. But inequality in outpatient utilization varied by provider types. Strong pro-poor inequality tendency is seen in health centers, while the positive values for CHI in tertiary medical institutions and general hospitals present inequality favoring the better-off. Standardized concentration indices for inpatient admissions are negative, which shows inequality favoring the poor, in all medical institutions irrespective of provider types. In the future, by using longitudinal data, research on how various policy interventions of health insurance affect income-related healthcare utilization inequality should be carried out.
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KEYWORD
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income-related inequality, concentration index, medical need, outpatient, inpatient
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