Quantitative analysis on medical service demand / supply behavior under the reform of the Japanese medical insurance system

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

In the present study, we developed a framework for estimating the policy effects according to system changes such as the copayment scheme revision in the medical insurance system, and applied it to real data. The impacts of the change in the copayment rate (i.e. medical service price change) on the medical service demand/supply are quantitatively confirmed; the quantities of laboratory test and/or diagnostic imaging (these are necessary for treatments, but do not directly improve the health states of patients) are price-sensitive. Moreover, we investigate the statistical properties of the counterfactual treatment effect estimation, especially using the switching regression model. The effects of the competition promoting policy such as introducing the auction system are empirically examined.