Health Policy Manag.  2021 Dec;31(4):531-543. 10.4332/KJHPA.2021.31.4.531.

An Analysis on the Effect of Having a Usual Source of Care for the Elderly: Focusing on the Healthcare Expenditure and the Subjective Health Status

• Jeon Y
• Sakong J

• KMID: 2525788
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4332/KJHPA.2021.31.4.531

Abstract

Background
Population aging is a serious problem in Korea. And we have experienced a rapid increase in the health expenditures of the elderly. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the effect of having a usual source of care (USC) for the elderly.
Methods
This study used the Korea Health Panel Survey data of 2012, 2013, 2016, 2017, and 2018. The sample was the person who answered the USC questions among the elderly. The panel logit model was used to analyze the determinants of having USC and the panel simultaneous equation model was used to analyze the effect of having USC among the elderly on the medical expenses, medical utilization, and subjective health status.
Results
The estimation result shows that age, income, marriage, and so forth turn out to be the factors of having USC. Having the clinic level USC is estimated to reduce the health care utilization and the health expenditure and to improve the subjective health status.
Conclusion
It is expected that the result of our analysis will provide evidence for encouraging having USC.

Keyword

Usual source of care; Health expenditure; Subjective health status; Simultaneous equations model; Panel analysis