Impact Of NCMS On Medical Service Utilization In Rural Hypertension

General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out in the 19th NPC report that people's health is an important symbol of national prosperity,and reiterated the importance of implementing the strategy for a healthy China.At present,with the development of economic,the change of ecological environment and lifestyle,chronic non-communicable diseases have become an important factor which affecting people's health.Especially in rural areas where the level of economic development and medical resources are relatively backward,the problem of chronic diseases is particularly prominent.As one of the common chronic diseases,the prevention and control of hypertension is very serious in rural areas.The main problem is the low rate of medical service utilization among rural hypertensive populations.However,our country has built the New Rural Cooperative Medical System to guard against the risk of serious diseases and enhance the health of farmers.During the implementation of NCMS,its impact on the utilization of medical services among rural hypertensive populations remains to be further tested.Based on the theory of Grossman's health demand and medical demand price elasticity,we make an empirical study with the data of China Health and Nutrition Survey(CHNS).Our aim is to evaluate the impact of NCMS on the rural hypertension populations by random effect model.Taking the awareness and treatment of rural hypertension populations as the dependent variables,whether attending NCMS as an independent variable.The results show that NCMS significantly promote the awareness and treatment of rural hypertensive populations.The people who attended NCMS is more likely to see a doctor.In order to test the robustness of the results,this paper also makes a sub-sample analysis.We conclude that the impact of NCMS on rural hypertensive populations is not only comprehensive but also hierarchical.It is more obvious among the female,the elderly and the low-income.The results of robustness test also reflects the fairness of NCMS'impact.In addition,gender,age,income levels,overweight and obesity all have a significant impact on the utilization of health care among hypertensive populations.Finally,though the analysis of NCMS's transmission mechanism on medical utilization and its insurance characteristics,we propose several policy suggestions as following:Firstly,guiding patients to Primary Medical Institutions for diagnosis by the implementation of hierarchical medical system.Secondly,our government should take steps to promote the publicity of hypertension knowledge and healthy lifestyles in rural areas.Of course,Primary Medical Institutions can also establish healthy files for rural hypertensive people.As a result,the management efficiency on prevention and control of hypertension should be improved.Thirdly,under the background of integration between NCMS and URBMI,the coverage scope of "serious illness" by outpatient co-ordination fund should be defined.Only by these measures done can medical insurance release illness risk and medical burden of hypertensive people in rural.