Health service utilization among hypertension patients under different medical insurance systems in Heilongjiang province:a differential analysis

ObjectiveTo analyze the difference in health service utilization among hypertension patients with three different medical insurance systems.MethodsData on health service utilization among the residents in Heilongjiang province were extracted from the results of a national survey in 2013.General descriptive analysis,chi-square test,and F test were adopted in data analyses.ResultsAmong the hypertension patients participating in different medical insurance systems,those with Basic Medical Insurance for Urban Residents had the highest two-week disease prevalence rate (21.89%),annual hospitalization rate (4.34%),and actual reimbursement ratio for hospitalization cost (51.83%)and the lowest two-week clinic visit rate (16.73%);the patients with Basic Medical Insurance for Urban Residents had the highest ratio of needing to visit a doctor but not in two weeks (44.44%) and the lowest actual reimbursement ratio for hospitalization cost (33.73%);the patients with New Rural Cooperative Medical System had the highest two-week clinic visit rate (42.08%) and the lowest two weeks disease prevalence rate (12.18%),ratio of needing to visit a doctor but not in two-weeks (16.97%),and annual hospitalization rate (3.00%).There were significant differences in gender,education level,income,hypertension prevalence,number of the days with illness in two-weeks,two-weeks disease prevalence rate,two-week clinic visit rate,and average hospitalization cost among the hypertension patients participating in different medical insurance systems (P<0.01 for all).ConclusionThe utilization of health service is different among hypertension patients participating in different types of medical insurance system.The difference in compensation level of various medical security system should be balanced to promote the equity of health service utilization in hypertensive patients.