Spatial price differences of medical services: evidence from the Yangtze River Delta in China

BACKGROUND: Price differences of medical services across regions may affect equity in health financing. This study aimed to estimate the spatial price index of medical services to measure price levels across regions in the Yangtze River Delta, China. METHODS: Gini-Éltetö-Köves-Szulc method and minimum spanning tree method based on the purchasing power parities were used in this study. RESULTS: According to the Gini-Éltetö-Köves-Szulc method, Shanghai and Anhui province had price levels that are 127.55% and 103.45% respectively of the price level in Zhejiang province, whereas in Jiangsu medical services were priced at 92.71% of that in Zhejiang province. The spatial price index of medical services in the Yangtze River Delta based on the minimum spanning tree method provided similar results. CONCLUSIONS: Regions in the Yangtze River Delta had significant gaps in medical services price levels. And the price levels tended to not correlate with socioeconomic levels. It is necessary to promote the regional coordination of medical services price and better achieve equity in health.