PMU149 DIRECT COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE TREATMENT OF CANCER PATIENTS: DID THEY INCREASE IN RECENT YEARS?

Abstract

The cost burden of cancer on health systems is high and on the rise. This work aimed to document trends in cancer related hospitalization and medication costs between 2010 and 2017. Using data from a German statutory health insurance (AOK PLUS), we computed all-cause hospitalization and medication costs per patient in 2010 and 2017, both for the overall insured population and for patients with at least one inpatient or two outpatient diagnoses of any type of cancer. Of 2,133,510 patients observed in 2010, 143,018 (6.7%) had a cancer diagnosis in 2010, while in 2017, 181,660 (7.3%) cancer patients were observed out of 2,504,491 patients. Hospitalization costs per patient increased by 45.4% (p<0.001) from 2010 (967.03€) to 2017 (1,406.13€), while medication costs per patient increased by 10.4% (p<0.001) from 741.35€ to 818.47€. Among patients with a cancer diagnosis, hospitalization costs per patient increased by 37.6% (p<0.001) from 2010 (3,410.95€) to 2017 (4,694.71€), while medication costs increased by 22.2% (p<0.001) going from 2,494.34€ to 3,047.75€. While in 2010 cancer patients accounted for 23.2% of total hospitalization and medication costs, in 2017 they accounted for 25.2% of total costs. In addition, the per-patient cost ratio between cancer and non-cancer patients was 4.20 in 2010 (95% CI: 4.15, 4.24) and 4.32 in 2017 (95% CI: 4.27, 4.36). This study shows that hospitalization and medication costs have significantly increased between 2010 and 2017, and costs associated with the treatment of cancer patients accounts for about one quarter of overall costs.