Since March 1995 when National Health Insurance was enacted, the way people receive medical treatment has changed. After the balance billing system initiated in August 1999, people had to pay for expensive medical devices and medications at their cost. Under the coverage of current National Health Insurance Law, hospitals cannot charge patients the full cost or the price differentials. The National Health Insurance provides the basic coverage beyond which the patients will have to pay the price differentials for better services. In December 2006, the drug eluting stents was included in one of the balance billing items. General population cannot afford the expensive price differentials. Public acceptance can serve as a reference for policy promotion.
The study was conducted utilizing questionnaire survey with the primary objective to study whether the predisposition factor, capacity factor and demand factor in the Andersen model would affect people?s acceptance of high balance billing of drug eluting stents. It also investigates whether balance billing policy is associated with the willingness and acceptance of the population.
Research results show that people with occupation from the other category, family income over 70,000 dollars and covered by private health and medical insurance are more open to balance billing of drug eluting stents. People with medium health beliefs (43-54 points) are less willing to accept the balance billing of drug eluting stents than those with low health beliefs (31-42 points). The result was statistically significant, indicating that these factors do affect the balance billing of drug eluting stents.
The National Health Insurance falls under social insurance, and is compulsory. Due to the insufficient insurance fund, the enormous medical costs shadow the medical behaviour of the general public. Private insurance has also launched ?supplementary health insurance? which stresses on the medical costs with limited coverage or not covered by National Health Insurance and reduces the enormous financial burden for medical treatment. This will also make medical services more accessible for the public.
