Pharmaceutical procurement profits and universal health coverage: Reform to a sustainable healthcare and financing system
Journal
Journal of the Formosan Medical Association = Taiwan yi zhi
Journal Volume
123
Journal Issue
Suppl 3
Start Page
S242
End Page
S250
ISSN
0929-6646
Date Issued
2024-11
Author(s)
Abstract
BACKGROUND: In this study, using Taiwan's National Health Insurance (NHI) as an example of a single-payer system, we examined the extent of pharmaceutical procurement profits (PPP) and evaluated their impact on the financial performance of healthcare institutions. METHODS: We extracted data from financial statements and healthcare service declarations of NHI-contracted hospitals from 2015 to 2021. Financial data concerning PPP, health service profits (HSP), and total operating profits (TOP) from each hospital were analyzed. The impact of PPP on hospitals with positive and negative HSP was further investigated. RESULTS: The total PPP across all hospitals studied gradually increased from NT$30.6 billion in 2015 to NT$47.0 billion in 2021. In 2021, 28.1% of all hospitals reported a deficit in HSP. PPP appeared to have a significantly positive impact on the financial performance of these hospitals. It not only enhanced positive profits, but also helped mitigate or completely offset the negative profits from HSP. The effect of PPP seems to be more pronounced for hospitals with larger HSP values, suggesting that larger hospitals benefit more from PPP in absolute terms. DISCUSSION: Average PPP increased during the study period, increasingly affecting hospitals' financial stability across all strata. The gap between TOP and HSP in medical centers has gradually widened, suggesting an increase in non-health service profits. In this study, we propose a payment policy reform that fosters sustainability of the healthcare and financing system under universal health coverage and corrects the potential distortions caused by PPP.
Subjects
Financial sustainability
Health service profits
Pharmaceutical procurement profits
Pharmaceutical rebates
Universal health coverage
SDGs
Type
review