Characterizing Cross-Provincial High-Cost Patients in Rural China: Cross-Sectional Study

Cross-provincial HC patients in rural China exhibited a lower concentration of total expenditure but incurred higher average annual hospitalization costs compared with local patients. This finding suggests the presence of potential cost-driving factors within this group. Identified risk factors-including sex, comorbidity status, cancer diagnosis, and hospital type-may inform the development of more equitable and efficient health financing policies, such as optimizing resource allocation and designing targeted interventions for HC patients.