Comparison the Annual, Nationwide Health Insurance Treatment Cost of Hip Osteoarthritis Based on Routinely Collected Financing Data in 2010 and 2018 in Hungary

OBJECTIVES: Our aim was to compare the annual health insurance treatment cost of hip osteoarthritis in 2010 and 2018 in Hungary.

METHODS: Data were derived from the financial database of the Hungarian National Health Insurance Fund Administration (NHIFA), for the years 2010 and 2018. Data analyzed included annual health insurance costs, patient numbers and cost distribution calculated for age groups and sex. Patients were identified with the following code of the International Classification of Diseases 10th revision: M16.

RESULTS: In 2010, the NHIFA spent 7.60 billion HUF (36.49 million USD/ 27.58 million EUR) on the treatment of patients with hip osteoarthritis, which increased to 13.49 billion HUF (49.93 million USD/ 42.31 million EUR) in 2018. This represents a real value increase of 44 percent over inflation rate. 33.9% of costs was spent on the treatment of male, 66.1% on female patients in 2010, while in 2018 36.8% of costs was invest on the treatment of male and 63.2% on female patients. Acute inpatient care, outpatient care and chronic inpatient care were the main cost drivers in both year. Annual health care treatment cost per patient was 820,812 HUF (3,943 USD/ 2,980 EUR) in men and 921,598 HUF (4,428 USD/ 3,346 EUR) in women in 2010, which increased to 1,156,605 HUF (4,280 USD/3,627 EUR) in men and 1,337,344 HUF (4,949 USD/4,194 EUR) to 2018.

CONCLUSIONS: Between 2010 and 2018 health insurance treatment cost of osteoarthritis increased 44% higher than inflation rate. Acute inpatient care was the major cost driver in the treatment of hip osteoarthritis in both years examined. Distribution of major cost drivers showed a significant difference between the sexes. For 2018, NHIFA's total health insurance expenditure has increased significantly, and the cost per patient has also risen compared to 2010. The average annual health insurance costs per patient was higher for women.