OBJECTIVES : Venous embolism and thrombosis generate a considerable economic burden. The aim of our study was to calculate the annual health insurance treatment cost of venous embolism and thrombosis in Hungary.

METHODS : The data were derived from the financial database of the Hungarian National Health Insurance Fund Administration (NHIFA), the only health care financing agency in Hungary. We analyzed the number of patients and the health insurance treatment cost for the year 2017. The following cost categories were included into the study: out-patient care, laboratory diagnostics, medical imaging, acute in-patient care, chronic in-patient care and drugs. Patients with venous embolism and thrombosis were identified with the following codes of the International Classification of Diseases 10^threvision: I82.

RESULTS : Number of patients admitted to in-patient hospital care was 4,482 (52.7% women and 47.3% men) with a mean age of 63.1 years (women: 65.05 years; men: 60.93 years). The number of patients underwent outpatient care was 21,817 (55.8% women and 44.2% men) with a mean age of 58.75 years (women: 58.57 years; men: 58.98 years). For the treatment of patients with venous embolism and thrombosis in 2017 the Hungarian National Health Insurance Fund Administration spent 1.691 billion Hungarian Forint (HUF) which equals 5.469 million Euros (EUR). Major cost drivers were acute inpatient care (64.2% of total health insurance costs), pharmaceuticals (25.94%) and chronic inpatient care (3.2%).

CONCLUSIONS : Venous embolism and thrombosis represent a significant burden for the Hungarian health insurance system. The disease is slightly common in women than men. There is a significant difference (4.12 years) in the onset of the disease between women and men in inpatient care.