OBJECTIVES : Polyneuropathic complications of type 2 diabetes require considerable diagnostic, therapeutic and symptomatic (analgesic) interventions and treatment. Our aim was to determine the annual health insurance treatment cost of diabetic polyneuropathy 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 diabetic polyneuropathy were identified with the following code of the International Classification of Diseases 10^th revision: G6320.

RESULTS : In 2018, the Hungarian National Health Insurance Fund Administration spent 6.63 billion Hungarian Forints (HUF) on the treatment of patients with diabetic polyneuropathy which equals 24.52 million American Dollars (USD), or 20.78 million Euros (EUR). 45.2% of costs was spent on the treatment of male, 54.8% on female patients. The highest patient numbers were in general practice care: 40,437 men (44.2%), 51,113 women (55.8%), in total 91,550 patients. Pharmaceuticals (77.5% of total health insurance costs in men, 78.9% in women), outpatient care (6.9% in men, 6.4% in women) and general practice care (6.3% in men, 6.6% in women) were the main cost drivers, while all other forms of medical care amounted to 5.2% in men and 4.0% in women. Annual health care treatment cost per patient was 74.142 HUF (274 USD/233 EUR) in men and 71.008 HUF (263 USD/223 EUR) in women.

CONCLUSIONS : Pharmaceuticals were found to be the major cost drivers. Major cost drivers showed no difference between men and women. The treatment of diabetic polyneuropathy is more costly as patients require more extensive pharmacotherapy (e.g. pain relief medications).