OBJECTIVES : Atopic dermatitis has become a global health care concern, posing a significant burden for both the patient and the society. Our aim was to determine the annual health insurance treatment cost of atopic dermatitis 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 atopic dermatitis were identified with the following code of the International Classification of Diseases 10^th revision: L2000-L2090.

RESULTS : In 2018, the Hungarian National Health Insurance Fund Administration spent 836.64 million Hungarian Forints (HUF) on the treatment of patients with atopic dermatitis, 3.1 million American Dollars (USD), or 2.62 million Euros (EUR). 45.0% of costs was spent on the treatment of male, 55.0% on female patients. The highest patient numbers were in use of pharmaceuticals: 91,489 men (42.9%), 121,805 women (57.1%) in total 213,294 patients. Pharmaceuticals (41.6% of total health insurance costs in men, 41.4% in women), general practice care (31.5% in men, 33.6% in women) and outpatient care (24.7% in men, 22.5% in women) were the main cost drivers, while all other forms of medical care amounted to 2.1% in men and 2.5% in women. Annual health care treatment cost per patient was 4,113 HUF (15 USD/13 EUR) in men and 3,780 HUF (14 USD/12 EUR) in women.

CONCLUSIONS : Use of pharmaceuticals was the major cost driver in the treatment of atopic dermatitis. Distribution of major cost drivers showed a moderate difference between the sexes. The average annual health insurance costs per patient was 9% higher for women.