OBJECTIVES : The prevalence of asthmatic diseases has been continuously increasing. Our aim was to determine the annual health insurance treatment cost of non-allergic asthma in Hungary.

METHODS : 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, pharmaceuticals and medical aids. Patients with non-allergic asthma were identified with the following code of the International Classification of Diseases 10^th revision: J4510.

RESULTS : In 2018, the Hungarian National Health Insurance Fund Administration spent 979.08 million Hungarian Forints (HUF) on the treatment of patients with non-allergic asthma, 3.62 million American Dollars (USD), or 3.07 million Euros (EUR). 31.2% of costs was spent on treatment of male, 68.8% on female patients. The highest patient numbers were in use of pharmaceuticals: 6.119 men (31.17%), 13.387 women (68.83%), in total 19.506 patients. Pharmaceuticals (62.19% of total health insurance costs in men, 58.55% in women), outpatient care (16.04% in men, 16.37% in women) and chronic inpatient care (4.81% in men, 8.46% in women) were the main cost drivers, all other forms of medical care amounted to 16.96% in men and 16,62% in women. Annual health care treatment cost per patient was 49.875 HUF (185 USD/156 EUR) in men and 50.339 HUF (186 USD/158 EUR) in women.

CONCLUSIONS : Pharmaceuticals were the major cost drivers in the treatment of non-allergic asthma as its symptoms are primarily managed with the prescription of medication. Major cost drivers showed no difference between men and women. There was no significant difference in average annual health insurance costs per patient between the sexes.