An examination of the relationship between the health care subsidy system and health disparities among children in Japan

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K01728
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 07050:Public economics and labor economics-related
• Research Institution: National Center for Child Health and Development
• Principal Investigator: MORIICHI AKINORI 国立研究開発法人国立成育医療研究センター, その他, 室長 (50374418)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: 医療費助成 / 公費負担 / 診療報酬明細書 / レセプト

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Analyzing the actual situation of health disparities among children and other minors in Japan and understanding the relationship with the medical cost subsidy system is an important issue in pediatric health care.
Using data from the National Health Insurance medical fee schedule, we analyzed the status of public funding for the specific pediatric chronic diseases. It was inferred that the utilization rate is generally 40-60%, although it varies from disease to disease. The most frequent use of subsidies for medical expenses other than those for the specific pediatric chronic diseases is the single use of subsidies for children's medical expenses, and this result suggests that the subsidies for children's medical expenses are a municipal project and that regional differences are very large, and that there are differences in the content of subsidies available in different residential areas.

Free Research Field

小児科

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

これまで医療費助成等の公費負担の実施状況について、具体的な解析を行うことができなかったが、本研究では県国保連合会の協力の下、わが国で初めて公費負担に関する検討を実施した。小児に対する医療費助成制度は、国制度および市町村単独制度が混在しているが、その利用状況は様々であることが明らかとなった。
昨今の医療費の高騰や市町村の財政逼迫を考えた場合、国制度が優先できるのであれば、国制度を優先し市町の制度を併用することも考慮すべきであると思われた。