Health Policy Manag.  2021 Sep;31(3):261-271. 10.4332/KJHPA.2021.31.3.261.

An Analysis on the Effect of the Increase in the Fee of Magnetic Resonance Imaging Deciphering of the External Hospital: Focusing on the Brain Magnetic Resonance Imaging

• Kim L
• Sakong J
• Jo M
• Wee S
• Lee J
• Kim Y

• KMID: 2525750
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4332/KJHPA.2021.31.3.261

Abstract

Background
In 2018, the government increased the fee for the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) image deciphering services of the external hospital to discourage the redundant MRI scan and to induce appropriate use of the MRI services. It is important to evaluate the effect of the policy to provide the basis for establishing other MRI-related policies.
Methods
The healthcare data of the patients who had brain MRI scans were organized by episode and analyzed using the panel study in order to find out the effect of the MRI-related policy on the substitution effect and the medical expenses.
Results
As a result of the increase in the fee of deciphering the MRI image, there has been an uplift in deciphering the MRI scan of the external hospital. It implies that more hospitals chose to use the MRI scan taken by other clinics or hospitals, rather than the MRI scan taken at their own facilities.
Conclusion
The research results imply that a policy that facilitates the exchange of the medical image data between the hospitals is needed in order to establish an efficient management system of the healthcare resources. Such improvement is expected to reduce the social cost and contribute to the stability in the finance of national health insurance.

Keyword

Magnetic resonance imaging; Brain MRI scan; MRI deciphering fee of the external hospital; Policy effect; Coverage expansion; Healthcare resource; Fee schedule revision; Health insurance finance; Medical technology