Patients with chronic conditions largely depend on proper medications to maintain health. This study aims to examine, for patients with diabetes and hypertension, whether the appropriateness of the quantity of drug obtained is associated with favorable healthcare outcomes and lower expenses.

To examine the impacts of diagnosis-related group (DRG) payments on health care provider's behavior under a universal coverage system in Taiwan.

Objectives To examine the effects of market competition on patient-perceived quality of care under a single-payer system in Taiwan.Methods Data came from two nationwide surveys conducted on discharged patients and National Health Insurance (NHI) hospital claim datasets in 2002 and 2004....

Objectives Global budget programs are utilized in many countries to control soaring healthcare expenditures. The present study was designed to evaluate the responses of Taiwanese hospitals to a new global budget program implemented in 2002.Methods Using data obtained from the Bureau of National...

Context: A global budget (GB) system has been implemented in many countries to control the soaring healthcare expenditures. Taiwan's National Health Insurance (NHI) started an expenditure-cap global budget program for hospital services in 2002. To avoid possible patient dumping or queuing...

Objectives The use of mechanic ventilators (MVs) is increasing in many countries. Taiwan's Bureau of National Health Insurance (NHI) launched a new payment program in 2000 to encourage integrated care for mechanically ventilated patients and to reduce the heavy utilization of high-cost intensive...

Potential excess use of health care services caused by insurance has been a major concern for almost every industrialized county. Moral hazard problems and fee-for-service payment methods are considered to be important factors for higher medical care utilization among those insured. Health care...