Annual epidemiological and health insurance burden of cervical cancer in Hungary

Abstract

Introduction: Cervical cancer is a particularly important, unresolved public health problem. The burden of the disease is high, primarily in those living in low- and middle-income countries. Objective: Our aim was to determine the annual epidemiological disease burden and health insurance cost of cervical cancer in Hungary in 2018. Data and methods: Our analysis was made according to the financial database of the National Health Insurance Fund Administration (NHIFA) of Hungary for the year 2018, which covers all service providers and maintenance forms financed by NHIFA. We analysed the in situ (D06), the benignant (D26.0) and the malignant (C53) cervical tumours. The data analysed included annual patient numbers and prevalence of care utilisation per 100 000 population furthermore annual health insurance costs calculated for disease and age groups. Results: In 2018, NHIFA spent 1.276 billion HUF (4.7 million USD, 4.0 million EUR) on the treatment of patients with cervical cancer. The majority of patients and funding can be linked to malignant cervical cancer (97%). Acute inpatient care was the major cost driver: 763.9 million HUF (59.9% of the total health insurance expenditures) annually. The prevalence is 26 per 100 000 population based on acute inpatient care data. Conclusion: Acute inpatient care was the major cost driver. In Hungary, as a modernization of organized cervical screening, it is appropriate to introduce a new screening strategy with appropriate financial support, by exempting screening tests, associated additional diagnostic testing, and therapy from the performance volume limit.