OBJECTIVES: This study examines the direct medical cost difference of liver cancer inpatients with different types of health insurance from 2010 to 2013in China. METHODS: A nationwide,cross-sectional sampling of liver cancer inpatients with disease code ICD-10(C22) with basic medical insurance scheme for employees(BMISE) and basic medical insurance scheme for urban residents(BMISUR) was extracted from the China Health Insurance Research Association claim database.A retrospective analysis was adopted and and all results were extrapolated to the whole country according to the scale of the population, economics and other factors in the sample cities. RESULTS: For BMISE,the liver cancer inpatients accounted for 0.47% of total visits, 5.57% in all malignant neoplasms inpatients,and the hospitalization expenses accounted for 0.90% and 6.31% in all hospitalization expenses and all malignant neoplasms hospitalization expenses separately.The Reimbursement rate,the average hospitalization expenses of each visit, length of stay and the average hospitalization expenses of  every day were 71.53%, ¥18,432, 19.20 and ¥1,294.But for BMISUR,the liver cancer inpatients accounted for 0.29% of total visits, 5.82% in all malignant neoplasms inpatients,and the hospitalization expenses accounted for 0.68% and 6.43% in all hospitalization expenses and all malignant neoplasms hospitalization expenses.The Reimbursement rate,the average hospitalization expenses of each visit,length of stay and the average hospitalization expenses of  every day were 52.08%, ¥13,878, 16.00 and ¥868 separately. CONCLUSIONS: The insurance level difference between two medical insurance schemes influences the treatment regimens and benefits received by patients.For the people with BMISUR,the reimbursement rate was only 50%, and had 20% gap with BMISE,needing to raise reimbursement rate,setting up differentiated reimbursement for different income level groups.