OBJECTIVES : Sleep apnoea is a significant burden for both the individual and society. Our aim was to determine the annual health insurance treatment cost of sleep apnoea in Hungary.

METHODS : The data were derived from the financial database of the NHIFA, for the year 2018. Data analysed included annual health insurance costs, patient numbers and cost distribution calculated for age groups and sex. The following cost categories were included into the study: general practice care, home care, in- and outpatient care, medical imaging, laboratory diagnostics, drugs and medical aids. Patients with sleep apnoea were identified with the following code of the International Classification of Diseases 10^th revision: G4730.

RESULTS : In 2018, the Hungarian National Health Insurance Fund Administration spent 776.37 million Hungarian Forints (HUF) for the treatment of patients with sleep apnoea [2.87 million American Dollars (USD), or 2.43 million Euros (EUR)]. 78.0% of costs was spent on the treatment of male, while 22.0% on female patients. The highest patient numbers were in outpatient care: 13,752 men (72.5%), and 5,204 women (27.5%) in total 18,956 patients. Medical aids (68.9% of total health insurance costs in men and 56.7% in women), outpatient care (26.2% in men and 34.3% in women) and acute inpatient care (1.9% in men and 3.2% in women) were the main cost drivers, while all other forms of medical care amounted to 3.0% in men and 3.7% in women. Annual health care treatment cost per patient was 44,030 HUF (163 USD/138 EUR) in men and 32,835 HUF (121 USD/103 EUR) in women.

CONCLUSIONS : Medical aids proved to be the major cost driver. Major cost drivers in the treatment of sleep apnoea, however, showed a difference between men and women. The average annual health insurance costs per patient was 34% higher in men.