A study on the characteristics of patients with facial palsy treated with Korean medicine:

- Based on the Korean National Health Insurance statistical yearbook

Article information

J Korean Med. 2023;44(2):10-19
Hae-chang Korean medicine clinic
Correspondence to: Hae-chang Yoon, 316, Yonghak-ro, Suseong-gu, Daegu, S.Korea, Tel: +82-10-4150-9435, Fax: +82-50-4392-9435, E-mail: yoon5100@naver.com
Received 2023 February 6; Revised 2023 April 7; Accepted 2023 May 10.

Abstract

Objectives

This study aimed to find out the characteristics of patients with facial palsy based on the National Health Insurance(NHI) statistical yearbook and provide the information pertaining to supplement Coverage of NHI.

Methods

Based on the data of NHI between 2004 to 2021 for facial palsy(G51) obtained from the Ministry of Health and Welfare, the analyses were carried out according to the distribution of gender and the number of patients, visits, reimbursed days, and medical expenses by using the SAS 9.4.

Results

The crude rate of facial palsy was reported as 361.71(2021) comparable with 419.60(2004) and 534.11(2009). The rate of men increased from 293.96(2004) to 302.27(2021) but the rate of women decreased from 450.88(2014) to 420.80(2021). The number of patients maintained around 190,000, however, it declined for patients treated Korean medicine(KM) after 2010. As the medical expenses were elevated, especially Western medicine(WM), that of WM exceeded KM’s since 2018. The expenses of women were higher than men’s in KM. By contrast, there was no difference with gender in WM. For reimbursed days per visits, it has been increased in WM but there was no difference in KM.

Conclusion

Although the rate of patients with facial palsy in KM was high with no difference in the whole number of patients and reimbursed days per visits in KM annually, the number of patients in KM decreased but medical expenses elevated. According to this, it is necessary for reinforcing Coverage of NHI to research other factors related to KM.

Fig. 1

The Number of Patients and Medical Expenses in Korean medicine and Western Medicine (person/won)

Fig. 2

Reimbursed Days per Visits and Medical Expenses per Patients with Facial Palsy

The Crude Rate of Facial Palsy in South Korea

Out-of-pocket per Patients with Facial Palsy by Gender and Kinds of Treatment

Status for Out-patients with Facial Palsy Treated Korean Medicine (unit: persons, thousand KRW)

Status for In-patients with Facial Palsy Treated Korean Medicine (unit: persons, thousand KRW)

References

1. Korea National Health Insurance. Korean national health insurance statistical yearbook 2022. [cited 2023 Feb 6]. Available from: URL: https://www.nhis.or.kr/nhis/together/wbhaec06300m01.do?mode=view&articleNo=10829400&article.offset=0&articleLimit=10.
2. Feng Heo J, Heo J. Donguibogam 8th edth ed. Seoul: Namsandang; 2007. p. 364–5.
3. National Institute for Korean Medicine Development. Current status of herbal medicines covered by insurance and related regulations. Professional training for field of Korean medicine industry National Institute for Korean Medicine Development; 2022.
4. Choi MS, Kim DI. 2021;A study on the survey for the Application Status and the Improvement of Oriental Medical Health Insurance for the Ob & Gy Disease. Journal of Korean Obstetrics & Gynecology 20(1):239–257.
5. David CT, Terrance PM. 1992;Bilateral facial paralysis: A case presentation and literature review. Journal of Otolaryngology 21(1):44–47.
6. Kim DR, Jung BY, Cho MU, Song SB, Chung SH, Park TY, Ha IH. 2021;Analysis of medical services provided to patients with peripheral facial palsy in Korea: a descriptive, cross-sectional study of the health insurance review and assessment service national patient sample database. BMC Health Services Research 21:1178. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-021-07078-9.
7. Institute for Health metrics and evaluation. The Lancet: Latest global disease estimates reveal perfect storm of rising chronic diseases and public health failures fueling COVID-19 pandemic [cited 2023 Feb 6] Available from: URL: https://www.healthdata.org/news-release/lancet-latest-global-disease-estimates-reveal-perfect-storm-rising-chronic-diseases-and.
8. Kim JH, Kim YH. 2007;The Benefits of the National Health Insurance and Oriental Medical Services. Journal of Society of Preventive Korean Medicine 11(1):139–151.
9. Korean Medicine Hospital Association. National Korean medicine hospital director regional meeting [cited 2023 Feb 6] Available from: URL: http://www.komha.or.kr/sub/sub02_03.php?boardid=event&mode=view&idx=2071&sk=&sw=&offset=30&category=.
10. Lee EK, Lee SD, Song AJ, Yoon JW, Choi SY, Chong MS. 2014;A Study on the Characteristics of Patients With Musculoskeletal Diseases(MSDs) Among Outpatients Using Korean Medical Institutes-Based on the Ministry of Health and Welfare’s 2011 Report on usage of Korean medicine-. Journal of Society of Preventive Korean Medicine 18(2):31–45.
11. Jung G, Kim JH. 2011;Comparison of Conventional Medicines and Complementary-Alternative Therapy Utilization on Musculoskeletal Pain. Health and Social Welfare Review 31(4):478–493. http://doi.org/10.15709/hswr.2011.31.4.478.
12. Jang YM. 2013;Variation Analysis of Medical Service Utilization in Oriental Medicine Frequent Disease of Rural Area. Journal of Korea Academia-Industrial Cooperation Society 14(2):713–720. https://doi.org/10.5762/KAIS.2013.14.2.713.
13. Seo MG, Lee SG. 1996;Medical Expenses Structure on Hospitalized Patients of an Oriental Medical University Hospital. Health Policy and Management 6(2):115–130.
14. Choi MG, Lee SM. 2001;Distributive Characteristics of Daily Average Medical Charge of the In - patients of Oriental Medical Hospital in Korea. Journal of the Korea Gerontological Society 21(1):47–57.
15. Lee HJ, Lee TJ. 2015;Impact of unmet medical need and payment for uncovered services on household catastrophic health expenditure. The Korean Journal of Health Economics and Policy 21(3):55–79.
16. Park EC. 2010;Current Status and Direction of National Health Insurance Coverage Enhancement Policy. Research Institute for Healthcare Policy Korean Medical Association 8(3):26–33.
17. Shin HW, Yeo JY. 2014;Health Security and Policy Issues. Health and Welfare Policy Forum 207:5–16.
18. Park SM. 2018;A Study on the Reform of Non-payment Medical Expense Control for Reinforcement of Guaranteed Ratio of National Health Service. Korean Journal of Insurance (114):1–34.
19. Kim JS, Kim SJ, Lee HJ. 2013;Comparative Analysis Study of Oriental and Western Medical Insurance Fees in Long-Term Care Hospitals. Journal of Korean Medicine 34(1):35–51.

Article information Continued

Fig. 1

The Number of Patients and Medical Expenses in Korean medicine and Western Medicine (person/won)

Fig. 2

Reimbursed Days per Visits and Medical Expenses per Patients with Facial Palsy

Table 1

The Crude Rate of Facial Palsy in South Korea

2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021
Male 293.96 296.63 299.75 301.75 307.39 313.88 299.13 302.27
Female 450.88 448.19 457.87 454.94 454.93 473.54 421.45 420.80
All 372.45 372.46 378.90 378.46 381.30 393.89 360.45 361.71

Table 2

Out-of-pocket per Patients with Facial Palsy by Gender and Kinds of Treatment

2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021
Male WM 128.26 131.91 138.05 141.92 156.89 198.28 215.20 219.20
KM 91.96 95.88 101.60 103.17 105.24 111.09 126.42 138.02

Female WM 134.88 138.58 145.34 150.82 161.72 199.42 214.84 218.63
KM 67.66 69.07 71.51 74.46 76.96 81.07 95.20 103.81
*

WM: Western medicine, KM: Korean medicine

Table 3

Status for Out-patients with Facial Palsy Treated Korean Medicine (unit: persons, thousand KRW)

Number of patients (A) Medical expenses (B) Benefit (Paid by NHIS) (C) Out-of-pocket per person ((B–C)/A)
2010 124,657 25,747,770 18,895,940 54.965
2011 120,260 26,762,160 19,588,154 59.654
2012 119,785 27,677,716 20,312,396 61.488
2013 120,759 28,905,228 21,230,406 63.555
2014 119,264 30,217,606 22,313,311 66.276
2015 116,979 30,477,216 22,436,326 68.738
2016 114,328 31,153,856 22,860,763 72.538
2017 111,642 31,612,822 23,285,152 74.593
2018 110,596 34,068,179 25,606,301 76.512
2019 110,194 35,528,854 26,737,265 79.783
2020 97,246 35,585,162 26,604,445 92.351
2021 93,894 36,954,133 27,427,896 101.457
*

NHIS: National Health Insurance Service

Table 4

Status for In-patients with Facial Palsy Treated Korean Medicine (unit: persons, thousand KRW)

Number of patients (A) Medical expenses (B) Benefit (Paid by NHIS) (C) Out-of-pocket per person ((B–C)/A)
2010 4,369 3,667,479 2,709,367 219.298
2011 4,444 3,873,383 2,869,929 225.800
2012 4,549 4,214,434 3,135,037 237.282
2013 5,090 4,796,133 3,584,126 238.115
2014 5,495 5,384,830 4,048,657 243.162
2015 5,351 5,250,958 4,042,822 244.466
2016 4,946 5,077,337 3,823,046 253.597
2017 4,776 5,260,179 3,976,128 268.855
2018 4,760 5,586,156 4,247,722 281.184
2019 4,389 5,947,015 4,467,522 337.091
2020 3,654 5,995,890 4,436,088 426.875
2021 3,318 6,072,274 4,507,219 477.714
*

NHIS: National Health Insurance Service