| Budget Amount *help |
¥3,600,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,600,000)
Fiscal Year 2004: ¥1,500,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,500,000)
Fiscal Year 2003: ¥2,100,000 (Direct Cost: ¥2,100,000)
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| Research Abstract |
Health care expenditures are related to population size and structure, prevalence of diseases and injury, and incomes of the population. In relation to the health insurance system in Japan, there was about 6 times difference among municipalities when comparing the proportion of those 65 years old and over, however, such a difference becomes double among prefectures. In the long-term care insurance system, the proportion of those 75 years old and over matters. There was about 8 times difference among municipalities ; however, such a difference becomes double among prefectures. The average income for the society-managed health insurance was about 370,000 and that for the government-managed one about 290,000. From the perspective of public health insurance systems, the Japanese system has a structural problem in terms of age structure and incomes of the population. Concerning the situations of diseases and injury, about 40% increase for inpatients and about 20% increase for outpatients are expected by 2020, if the present medical environment and demand for services are assumed. However, the medical environment may change. While the progress of separation of prescribing and dispensing would cause an increase in pharmaceutical expenditures because of physicians' preference for brand-name drugs, an excessive competition among hospitals may increase health care expenditures because of unregulated increases of high-cost diagnostic equipments. Therefore, not only restructuring of the insurance systems, but also developing of precise estimate methods for the future health expenditures and appropriate supply-side policies are necessary.
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