Influencing factors of diabetic patients applying for specific disease health insurance and its treatment cost

Abstract

To compare the treatment costs on type 2 diabetes between patients with and without specific diseases health insurance, and to identify the influencing factors related to specific diseases health insurance application. A structured questionnaire was used to investigate basic information, diabetes-related pharmacy, outpatient and inpatient treatment costs. SAS9.1 software was used for statistical analysis. The enumeration data was analyzed by using Chi-square test, and variables of statistical difference were bought into Logistic regression model through stepwise method. Continuous variables were represented by median(inter-quartile range)[M(Q)], and were analyzed by using Wilcoxon test. Compared with patients without specific disease health insurance in outpatient group, patients with specific disease health insurance had higher annual per capita total cost [2160(3081) vs 1000(2100) yuan, P<0.01] and lower out-of-pocket expense ratio [54.04% vs 93.78%, P<0.01]. Patients with middle or high level income (OR=1.94 and 2.11), participated in urban employee basic medical insurance (OR=4.19) and duration of disease >5 years (OR=2.04) were more likely to succeed in specific diseases health insurance application. To reduce the financial burden of patients with type 2 diabetes, government should make huge efforts to promote specific disease health insurance policies, and encourage patients to apply for it. Meanwhile, medical insurance department and medical institutions should reinforce supervision and simplify the application process. To improve the availability of specific disease health insurance, the number and coverage of designated retail pharmacies should be increased. Besides, government should pay more attention to low-income patients and those with short duration diabetes, so as to enhance their ability to resist economic risks and reflect the fairness of specific disease health insurance.