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Health Care Costs in China

Need for Intervention

Hassan H. Dib is Senior Lecturer, Department of Health Care Management, School of Public Health, Capital University of Medical Sciences, You An Men Street, Beijing, China 100069. E-mail: bishops9263_le{at}yahoo.com.

Shen Yan Hong

Shen Yan Hong is at the Department of Health Care Management, Capital University of Medical Sciences, Beijing. E-mail: shenyanh{at}tom.com.

Zhao Bin

Zhao Bin is at the Department of Health Care Management, Capital University of Medical Sciences, Beijing. E-mail: zhaobin60{at}yahoo.com.

Shen Hongliang

Shen Hongliang is at the Department of Health Care Management, Capital University of Medical Sciences, Beijing. E-mail: shenhl2004{at}tom.com

Despite government's efforts in curbing prices, the health care cost in China remains high in comparison to its GDP due to the real absence of regulatory and supervisory mechanisms. We randomly studied patients who attended two different emergency rooms in two teaching hospitals, mainly complaining of TIA, stroke and CVA. From this study we found there is a significant difference in test fees, total fees and percentage of test fees. This difference in total cost of treatment is due to variation of loci lesions. There was no significant difference in drug fees or percentage of fees between two genders. Hence, the central and local governments need to implement further policies in order to reduce or stabilise the health care costs, such as gradual increase in doctors' wages to decrease the deliverance of unnecessary care, partial privatisation of medical insurance enterprises, placing representatives for insurance companies in the hospitals, encouraging generic pharmaceutical manufacturing, improved distribution of hi-tech medical equipment, and better control of medical bills.

Journal of Health Management, Vol. 9, No. 1, 85-103 (2007)
DOI: 10.1177/097206340700900106


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