Full disclosure of financial costs and options to patients: the roles of race, age, health insurance, and usual source for care

The objective was to identify factors associated with financial discussions and financial disclosure of medical costs within a low-income urban community. The method used was a cross-sectional community-based survey in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. The survey was conducted door-to-door and at area food pantries. Two hundred and twenty six adults were interviewed. Overall, 76.1% reported having a usual source for care and 73.0% had health insurance. Thirty nine and four tenths percent reported having been asked about their ability to pay for health services; this was more common among African Americans (OR 5.2; 95% CI 1.73-15.84), those with no health insurance (OR 4.3; 95% CI 1.01-17.89), and those less than 45 years old (OR:2.9; 95% CI 1.03-8.28). Only 10.6% reported being told how much a health visit would cost. Overall, 30.1% reported their provider made payment allowances for medical bills, with white respondents 2.5 times more likely and those persons identifying an ambulatory site for care 2.6 times more likely to report this. Overall, 30.5% reported being referred to a collection agency for unpaid medical bills; this was 2.4 times more common among those individuals identifying a non-ambulatory usual site for care. Significant race and socio-economic disparities exist in discussions about and access to financial resources to pay for medical care. Expanding the availability of financial assistance is critical to improving access to health care.     

Equity, governance and financing after health care reform: lessons from Mexico

To determine, from the perspective of providers, community leaders and users of health services, equity, governance and health financing outcomes of the Mexican health system reform.Cross-sectional study oriented towards the qualitative analysis of financing, governance and equity indicators for the uninsured population. Taking into account feasibility, as well as political and technical criteria, six Mexican states were selected as study populations and a qualitative research was conducted during 2004-2006. Two hundred and forty in-depth interviews were applied, in all selected states, to 60 decision-makers, including medical and administrative personnel; 60 service providers at health centres; 60 representatives of civil organizations, including municipal representatives and, finally, 60 members of health committees and users of services at second and first levels of care units. The analysis of interviews was performed using ATLAS-Ti software. An outcome mapping of health reform was developed. For political actors, Mexican health system reform has not modified dependence on the central level; ignorance about reform strategies and lack of participation in the search for financial resources to finance health systems were evidenced. Also, in all states under study, community leaders and users of services reported the need to improve an effective accountability system at both municipal and state levels. Health strategies for equity, governance and financing do not have adequate mechanisms to promote participation from all social actors. Improving this situation is a very important goal in the Mexican health democratization process, in the context of health care reform. There are relevant positive and negative effects of the reform on equity, governance and financing in health. Special emphasis is placed on the analysis of lessons learned in Mexico and the usefulness of the main strengths and weaknesses, as relevant evidences for other middle-income countries which are designing, implementing and evaluating reform strategies in order to achieve equity in resource allocation, good levels of governance and a greater financial protection in health.     

Consequences of the North American Free Trade Agreement for health services: a perspective from Mexico.

OBJECTIVES. The purposes of the study were to assess the potential impact of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) on medical care in Mexico and to identify internal measures Mexico could take to increase the benefits and minimize the risks of free trade. METHODS. The dual nature of the health sector is examined; the Mexican, Canadian, and US health care systems are compared; and modes and consequences of international exchange of health services are analyzed. RESULTS. Four issues require immediate attention: accreditation of health care facilities, licensing and certification of professionals, technology assessment, and financial equity. CONCLUSIONS. NAFTA offers opportunities for positive developments in Mexico, provided risks can be anticipated and preventive measures can be taken to avoid negative impacts on the health system. Medical services, like other elements of the Mexican economy, must be modernized to respond to the demands of global competition. The Mexican National Academy of Medicine has recommended to the Mexican government (1) internal strengthening of the Mexican health care system to improve its ability to respond to the new conditions created by NAFTA and (2) a gradual process to facilitate equitable and mutually beneficial interactions among the three countries.     

Bank accounts for public primary health care facilities: Reflections on implementation from three districts in Tanzania

Health care financing reforms are gaining popularity in a number of African countries to increase financial resources and promote financial autonomy, particularly at peripheral health care facilities. The paper explores the establishment of facility bank accounts at public primary facilities in Tanzania, with the intention of informing other countries embarking on such reform of the lessons learned from its implementation process. A case study approach was used, in which three district councils were purposively sampled. A total of 34 focus group discussions and 14 in‐depth interviews were conducted. Thematic content analysis was used during analysis. The study revealed that the main use of bank account revenue was for the purchase of drugs, medical supplies, and minor facility needs. To ensure accountability for funds, health care facilities had to submit monthly reports of expenditures incurred. District managers also undertook quality control of facility infrastructure, which had been renovated using facility resources and purchases of facility needs. Facility autonomy in the use of revenue retained in their accounts would improve the availability of drugs and service delivery. The experienced process of opening facility bank accounts, managing, and using the funds highlights the need to strengthen the capacity of staff and health‐governing committees.     

Use of alternative folk medicine by Mexican American women

Nontraditional health care resources available to Mexican Americans are many. The Mexican culture is rich with alternative health and illness beliefs and remedies which have their origins in ancient Mestizo/Indian folklore which viewed the causes of illness to include social, spiritual, and physical forces. This perception calls for culturally relevant folk practitioners who can treat all aspects of the perceived illness. This study of 70-Mexican American women explored their knowledge of and use of alternative Mexican folk medical practitioners in their own health maintenance. Results provided some evidence that, even among highly assimilated Mexican American women, there persist traditional, indigenous beliefs, and practices.     

The Reality of Homeless Mobility and Implications for Improving Care

Homeless persons are perceived as a highly mobile population, and have high rates of co-morbid conditions, including mental health and substance use issues. This study sought to determine the characteristics of the mobility and reported health conditions of homeless persons. The sample for this cross sectional study (n = 674) accounted for 88 % of the homeless population in a medium sized southern city in the United States. Participants were recruited from a homeless shelter operating during the winter season. Homeless persons were less mobile than the general state population (46.11 % were born in-state vs. 40.7 % of the general population) and less transient than the general state population (78 % reported an in-state zip code for the last permanent residence). 31.9 % reported a disabling condition of a serious and long term nature. These findings challenge the concept that homeless persons are primarily a mobile population. Furthermore, homeless persons in this sample were more likely to remain in the state where they lived after becoming homeless. Thus, provider perceptions that homeless persons would not benefit from referral to a regular source of outpatient care may be misinformed. As homeless persons often seek care in emergency departments for conditions that could be addressed through outpatient care, if a medical care system implemented standard practices specifically for homeless patients, this could decrease recidivism. Such interventions represent significant opportunities to reduce costs, conserve resources, and improve care through policy modification that ensures a focus on a successful, active linkage to outpatient care and programs specific to the homeless population.     

International comparison of health care systems using resource profiles

The most frequently used bases for comparing international health care resources are health care expenditures, measured either as a fraction of gross domestic product (GDP) or per capita. There are several possible reasons for this, including the widespread availability of historic expenditure figures; the attractiveness of collapsing resource data into a common unit of measurement; and the present focus among OECD member countries and other governments on containing health care costs. Despite important criticisms of this method, relatively few alternatives have been used in practice. A simple framework for comparing data underlying health care systems is presented in this article. It distinguishes measures of real resources, for example human resources, medicines and medical equipment, from measures of financial resources such as expenditures. Measures of real resources are further subdivided according to whether their factor prices are determined primarily in national or global markets. The approach is illustrated using a simple analysis of health care resource profiles for Denmark, France, Germany, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and the USA. Comparisons based on measures of both real resources and expenditures can be more useful than conventional comparisons of expenditures alone and can lead to important insights for the future management of health care systems.     

我国卫生资源分布状况与收敛路径分析

目的:分析我国卫生资源分布的不平等状况及变动趋势,检验我国区域卫生资源分布收敛路径。方法:使用泰尔指数、地理统计方法分析卫生资源不平等情况及变动趋势,运用面板GLS方法估计区域卫生资源Beta收敛模型。结果:2007年以来全国范围及东中西部区域内卫生资源不平等情况已逐步改善,东部地区的卫生资源较中西部地区更丰富,均衡性也更强;区域卫生资源无条件Beta收敛不成立,初始卫生资源差异不会随时间自行走向均衡;区域卫生资源条件Beta收敛成立,医疗卫生财政支出增加、地区财政自主权上升等因素会推动区域卫生资源进入收敛路径。结论:应加大财政资金对地方公共卫生事业的支持,推动落后地区医疗卫生事业发展。     

A Program to Improve Access to Health Care Among Mexican Immigrants in Rural Colorado

CONTEXT: Migration to the United States from Mexico is increasing every year. Mexican immigrants tend to be poor, uninsured, monolingual Spanish speakers without adequate access to appropriate medical care. As a further barrier, many are also undocumented. PURPOSE: This article describes a program developed to improve access to health care among Mexican immigrants in northern Colorado. METHODS: The program was implemented by a migrant/community health center in rural northern Colorado based on findings from an in-depth health needs survey of the target population. The program consists of community outreach services vertically integrated into the main medical clinics, which comprise Salud Family Health Centers. A mobile unit went to nontraditional areas identified by community workers as gathering places for Mexican immigrants. Services provided included preventive health care (screening for diabetes, hypertension, mental health problems, dental problems, and HIV); education; and primary care for acute problems. Patients were referred to a health care home for ongoing care. RESULTS: In the first 6 months, 1,553 Mexican immigrants were seen on the mobile unit. Hypertension and psychosocial problems were the most common problems in this population. Thirty-five percent of patients who received consultation in the mobile unit have visited any of the clinics for follow-up within the following year. CONCLUSIONS: A community-based mobile outreach program targeted toward Mexican immigrants can be effective in uncovering medical and mental illness and in directing patients to a health care home. This is an important first step in eliminating health disparities among this population.     

Access to health care among Hispanic or Latino women: United States, 2000-2002

OBJECTIVE: This report presents national estimates on access to health care for the following five subgroups of Hispanic or Latino women aged 18 years and over in the United States: Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, Central or South American, and other Hispanic. For comparison, estimates are also presented for non-Hispanic white women and non-Hispanic black women. METHODS: Data for persons of all ages in the U.S. civilian noninstitutionalized population are collected each year in the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), which is conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Center for Health Statistics. Each year, data are collected for approximately 100,000 persons in 40,000 households. In the 2000-2002 surveys combined, data were collected for 54,763 women aged 18 years and over (9,082 Hispanic or Latino women), with an overall response rate of 73.4%. Estimates in this report are presented as annual estimates, averaged over the 3 survey years. Estimates were age adjusted to the 2000 U.S. standard population to permit comparison among the various race and ethnic subgroups. RESULTS: Among the 33.4 million Hispanic or Latino women in the United States, 31% lacked health insurance coverage at the time of interview, 20% had no usual place to go for medical care during the past year, and 22% experienced unmet health care needs during the past year due to cost. Of the five subgroups of Hispanic or Latino women, Mexican women (35%) and Central or South American women (36%) were more likely than Puerto Rican women (14%) and Cuban women (23%) to lack health insurance coverage. Mexican women (78%) and Central or South American women (78%) were less likely to have a usual place to go for health care compared with Puerto Rican women (90%), Cuban women (82%), and other Hispanic women (90%). The percentage of Hispanic or Latino women who had an unmet medical need due to cost was highest among Mexican women (24%) and lowest among Cuban women (14%). Lack of access to health care was most prevalent among Hispanic or Latino women who had poor or near poor poverty status, had less than a high school diploma, or were foreign born. CONCLUSION: Access to health care varied among subgroups of Hispanic or Latino women. Understanding these subgroup differences may help community-based programs improve access to care among Hispanic or Latino women.     

Utilization and purchase of medical care services in Mexico by residents in the United States of America, 1998-1999.

OBJECTIVES: We assessed self-reported frequency of purchase of medications and medical care services in Mexico by southern New Mexico (United States, [U.S.]) residents in relation to their medical insurance coverage. METHODS: We analyzed data obtained in 1998 and 1999 from a health interview survey of residents in a six-county region of southern New Mexico, using prevalence and logistic regression methods for complex survey data. RESULTS: About 22% of southern New Mexico residents had purchased medications and 11% had sought medical care in Mexico at least once during the year preceding the survey. When we adjusted for the effects of other variables, persons able to pay for services out of pocket and those who were uninsured were more likely than persons who were fully covered to purchase medications or medical care in Mexico. CONCLUSIONS: Large numbers of people residing near the border in New Mexico traveled south to Mexico to purchase medications and medical care. Lack of medical insurance was associated with higher frequencies of these purchases. There seems to be a need to establish relationships between U.S. private and public care plans and Mexican medical care providers to identify appropriate mechanisms for U.S. residents to purchase medical care in Mexico.     

Lower utilization of primary, specialty and preventive care services by individuals residing with persons in poor health

BACKGROUND: Since household time and financial resources for health care are primarily spent for those household members with the most urgent health needs, individuals residing with persons in poor health may be at risk of underusing health-care services. We examined whether these individuals had a lower use of primary, specialty and preventive care than those who did not reside with persons in poor health. METHODS: Data collected in 2000 from a representative sample of 8,210 French individuals aged 18 years and older from 3,810 households were analysed with logistic regression models adjusted for health, demographic and socioeconomic variables. RESULTS: We found that individuals residing with one other survey respondent had a higher risk of not using primary care, specialty care and preventive care in the 12 months preceding the study when the health status of the other survey respondent was poorer (fair or alternatively poor versus good). Furthermore, individuals residing with two other survey respondents had a higher risk of not using primary care, specialty care and preventive care in the 12 months preceding the study when they resided with a higher number of respondents in fair or poor health (one or alternatively two versus zero). CONCLUSION: The lower use of health services by individuals residing with persons in poor health may signal a need for health practitioners to broaden the scope of care beyond their patients, and for policy makers to consider the long-term impact of this situation on the health-care system.     

财政投入对医疗卫生服务供给水平的影响研究:基于财政运行效率与收入不平等的双调节效应*

目的：研究2016—2021年我国31个省份财政投入与医疗卫生服务供给水平之间的关系,为财政资源在医疗领域的合理配置提供参考思路。方法：使用面板数据构建评价指标体系,利用熵值法计算各省份的医疗卫生服务供给水平指数,基于双向固定效应模型探讨财政投入对医疗卫生服务供给水平的作用机制。结果：财政投入对提升医疗卫生服务供给水平有显著正向影响,且经济欠发达地区影响程度大于发达地区;财政运行效率对财政投入与医疗卫生服务供给水平的关系有显著正向调节作用;收入不平等对财政投入与医疗卫生服务供给水平的关系有显著负向调节效应。结论：应优化医疗财政资源配置,加大财政投入;深化医疗卫生体制改革,提高运行效能;完善社会保障体系,促进健康公平。     

Financial vulnerability among Medicare managed care enrollees

Consumer Assessment of Health Plans Survey (CAHPS) data show that Medicare managed care plans often receive low satisfaction scores from certain vulnerable populations. This article describes findings from a qualitative study with beneficiaries about their Medicare managed care experiences. Focus groups were stratified by participant race/ethnicity and self-described health status. Yet participants did not describe their concerns in terms of their race, ethnicity, or health condition, but rather their access to financial resources. Our findings suggest that researchers consider how socioeconomics creates health care vulnerability for racial and ethnic minorities, females, people with disabilities, and other economically marginalized persons.     

Who will provide preventive services? The changing relationships between medical care systems and public health agencies in health care reform.

Health care reform in the United States will likely attempt to expand the health insurance coverage to uninsured groups, control costs, enhance quality, and expand access to care. Preventive services will be assigned to the medical care system, while new roles and responsibilities will be defined for public health agencies. The clinical preventive services likely required are examined in a population of 44,565 persons residing in Otsego County, New York. Expansion of preventive services to Medicaid requests and the uninsured will require considerable resource expenditure to correct the current deficit in preventive services received by these groups. Moreover, the uninsured and Medicaid recipients have high levels of risk behaviors, identifying a need for health education services effective to that population subgroup. The transfer of responsibilities for clinical preventive services to the medical care system may free up resources for public health agencies to focus on other initiatives such as disease surveillance, health education, and quality assurance. New interrelationships, some cooperative and some adversarial, are likely to emerge, due to a closer working relationship between the medical care system and public health agencies than previously seen in American health care.     

Undocumented Immigration Status and Diabetes Care Among Mexican Immigrants In Two Immigration “Sanctuary” Areas

The objective of this study is to investigate the relationship between immigration status and the patient experience of health care, diabetes self-management, and clinical outcomes among Mexican immigrants with diabetes receiving health care in two immigration sanctuary cities. We used data from the Immigration, Culture and Health Care study, a cross-sectional survey and medical record study of low-income patients with diabetes recruited from public hospitals and community clinics in the San Francisco Bay Area and Chicago. Undocumented Mexican, documented Mexican immigrants, and US-born Mexican–Americans’ health care experiences, diabetes self-management, and clinical outcomes were compared using multivariate linear and logistic regressions. We found no significant differences in reports of physician communication, or in measures of diabetes management between undocumented and documented immigrants. All three groups had similar clinical outcomes in glycemic, systolic blood pressure, and lipid control. These results indicate that, at least in some settings, undocumented Mexican immigrants with diabetes can achieve similar clinical outcomes and report similar health care experiences as documented immigrants and US-born Mexican–Americans.     

影响农村妇女孕产期保健的社会因素分析

目的:探讨影响农村妇女孕产期保健的社会因素。方法:采用定性研究方法,根据目的抽样的原则,抽取孕产期保健服务的提供者、利用者以及地方级别的关键知情人士进行焦点小组访谈、个人深入访谈和关键人物访谈。结果:家庭经济贫困的妇女相对经济好的妇女更不容易利用保健服务;新型农村合作医疗可以吸引妇女到医院分娩,提高住院分娩率,降低母婴死亡率;交通对孕产妇利用保健服务有很大的影响;计划生育政策是计划外生育妇女利用孕产期服务最主要的障碍;流动妇女对孕产期保健服务的利用率低;当地农村仍奉行一些关于生孩子的传统习俗。结论:建议政府制定相关政策限制日益增长的医疗费用;加强流动人口和计划外生育妇女的管理;对农村妇女进行孕产期健康教育;扩大新型农村合作医疗的覆盖范围。     

Access to health care among Hispanic/Latino children: United States, 1998-2001

OBJECTIVE: This report presents national estimates on access to health care for five subgroups of Hispanic/Latino children in the United States: Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, Central or South American, and other Hispanic. For comparison, estimates are also presented for non-Hispanic white children. METHODS: Data for persons of all ages in the U.S. civilian noninstitutionalized population are collected each year in the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), which is conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Center for Health Statistics. Each year, data are collected for approximately 100,000 persons in 40,000 households. In the 1998-2001 surveys combined, 53,510 interviews (14,284 Hispanic/Latino children) were completed by knowledgeable adults for a subsample of children under age 18 years, with an overall response rate of 80.2%. RESULTS: Each year, an estimated 3.0 million (25.7%) Hispanic/Latino children lacked health insurance coverage at the time of interview, 1.6 million (14.1%) had no usual place to go for health care during the past year, and 1.4 million (17.6%) experienced unmet health care needs during the past year due to cost. Of the five Hispanic/Latino subgroups, Mexican children were most likely (30.4%) to lack health insurance coverage, followed by Central or South American children (23.8%) and other Hispanic children (18.6%). The percentage of children having a usual place to go for health care was highest for Cuban children (93.5%) and lowest for Mexican children (83.3%). The percentage of children who experienced unmet medical needs due to cost in the past year was 18.3% for Mexican children, 16.3% for Puerto Rican children, 12.8% for Central or South American children, and 8.3% for Cuban children. Lack of access to health care was most prevalent among Hispanic/Latino children who had poor or near poor poverty status, whose parents had less than a high school diploma, and who were foreign born. CONCLUSION: Access to health care varied among subgroups of Hispanic/Latino children. Understanding subgroup differences may help community-based programs improve access to care among Hispanic/Latino children.