Effects of Catastrophic Coverage Expansion on Out-of-Pocket Spending for Non-Covered Services and Financial Equity: Evidence from South Korea's National Health Insurance.

ABSTRACT: Background: Patients with catastrophic health conditions have continuously faced substantial out-of-pocket (OOP) costs for non-covered services despite universal health coverage in South Korea. In 2013, the National Health Insurance Service (NHIS) expanded coverage for four major catastrophic conditions-cancers, cardiovascular diseases, cerebrovascular diseases, and rare illnesses-aiming to strengthen financial protection for patients with catastrophic conditions. However, concerns remain that providers may respond by inducing more use of non-covered services, potentially offsetting reductions in patients' financial burden. Methods: We evaluated the impact of the 2013 catastrophic coverage expansion on patients' OOP spending for non-covered services using a quasi-experimental

SUBMITTER: Kim M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12896595 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature