Analysis of direct medical costs and their influencing factors for in-patients with Multiple Mye-loma:Based on the reimbursement claim database in Guangzhou, China / 中国卫生政策研究

ABSTRACT

Objective:To study the direct medical expenses for inpatients with Multiple Myeloma and explore its influencing factors. Methods:A total of 1386 hospitalization records were collected using the reimbursement claim database in Guangzhou City during the period from January 2009 to December 2011 , which covered the entire enroll-ees of Urban Employee Basic Medical Insurance ( UEBMI) and Urban Resident Basic Medical Insurance ( URBMI) . Multivariate logarithmic regression models were used to analyze the influencing factors of direct hospitalization costs. Results:During the period from 2009 to 2011 , the total costs of inpatients with Multiple Myeloma were 19319 . 16 , 17364. 76 and 21427. 44 Yuan, and the individual out-of-pocket cash payments were 7049. 37, 5216. 5 and 6475. 39 Yuan respectively. The major influencing factors on direct medical costs of inpatients with the aforesaid disease were identified to be age, health insurance type, hospital level and length of hospitalization. Besides, the proportion of drug expenses as per average occupancy rate among UEBMI and URBMI cases during three years were 61. 92% and 69. 22% respectively. Conclusion: The direct medical costs for inpatients with Multiple Myeloma are high and the medicine cost is the main component of total medical expenses. In addition, the economic burden is higher for patients with URBMI than for those with UEBMI for treating Multiple Myeloma.