The effect of shifting medical coverage from National Health Insurance to Medical Aid type I and type II on health care utilization and out-of-pocket spending in South Korea.

Our research provides evidence that the shift in medical coverage from NHI to MA Type I increased the number of outpatient visits without increasing the out-of-pocket spending. Considering the problem of excess medical utilization by Korean MA Type I beneficiaries, further researches are required to have in-depth discussions on the appropriateness of the current cost-sharing level on MA beneficiaries.