OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the budget impact of dasatinib in patients with imatinib-resistant or-intolerant chronic myeloid leukemia in chronic phase (CML-CP) comparing with differing treatment strategies. METHODS: We developed a budget impact model to assess the effect of changing market shares of high-dose imatinib (600mg/day), nilotinib (800mg), and dasatinib (100mg), from the Chinese healthcare payer’s perspective, over a 5-year time horizon. Epidemiological and resource use data were obtained from published literature and clinical expert opinion. 37.75% of the dasatinib market share was assumed according to data from IMS Health China. A 70% reimbursement with the range from 50% to 80% was explored, because there is no consolidated reimbursement level in Chinese public sector. Deterministic sensitivity analyses were conducted to test parameters most influential on budget impact. Patient assistant program (PAP), which help patients get 9 months of TKIs freely by paying for 3 months, was introduced in the analysis. RESULTS: In a Chinese hypothetical member plan, 745 patients with imatinib-resistant or-intolerant CML-CP were annually expected to be candidates for dasatinib treatment as second-line option. Assuming 37.75% of the dasatinb market share among patients with imatinib-failure CML-CP, the model yield an estimated total budget impact of￥-56,541,262 to the Chinese healthcare payer during the first 5-year after dasatinib entry for CML-CP patients with PAP. This amount  corresponded to ￥-15,179 PMPY. When PAP was not available, the total budget impact would be ￥-128,543,917, which corresponded to ￥34,508. Sensitivity analysis showed the results were robust to cost of TKIs, dasatinib market share, CML incidence and reimbursement rate, of which the cost of TKIs and dasatinib market share are most influential to the results. CONCLUSIONS: The analysis estimated that, the entry of dasatinib to the Chinese market for the treatment of patients with imatinib-resistant or-intolerant CML-CP would be cost saving for healthcare insurance in China.