Analysis and Assessment of the Ratio of Pharmaceutical Expenses to Gross Medical Expenses in Japan's Ageing Society

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  • <原報>高齢化社会における国民医療費に占める薬剤費の分析

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With the rapid growth of the aged population, the increase in medical expenses is an imminent issue in our country. National medical expenses in fiscal 1994 were estimated at \25.7 trillion and since then they have continued rising by approximately \1 trillion every year. The government proposed a medical policy that says the increase in national medical expenses be controlled so as not to overtake the increase in national income. However, the increase in national medical expenses exceeds that of national income (due to the present stagnant economic growth and the growing numbers of senior citizens). The major causes of such a medical climate may stem from complex factors such as demographic change and the rise in pharmaceutical bills. In this study we have analysed the current changes in medical expenses based on the statistics issued by the Ministry of Health and Welfare to determine some causes of the skyrocketting medical bills for the aged, and assessed in particular the pharmaceutical expense ratio. We have also made suggestions on what analysis should be conducted when we discuss ways to optimise medical and pharmaceutical expenses in the future.

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