Assessment of annual health insurance reimbursement for oncology drugs in Hungary

The aim of our study is to analyse the health insurance reimbursement of oncology drugs in outpatient care, inpatient care and named patient system. Data were derived from the database of the National Health Insurance Fund Administration (OEP). The analysis covers data of pharmaceuticals with health insurance reimbursement between 1 January and 31 December, 2008. We performed the analysis according to the ATC group "L" and ICD codes C00-C99 and D00-D48. Within "L" ATC group, for ICD codes C00-C99 and D00-D48 the annual health insurance expenditure for outpatient and named patient drugs were 36.3 billion Hungarian Forints (HUF) (144.5 million EUR, 211.3 million USD). For drugs used in the acute inpatient care, we found 22.59 billion HUF (89.9 million EUR, 131.5 million USD) annual health insurance expenditure. The Hungarian National Health Insurance Fund Administration (OEP) spent altogether 58.9 billion HUF (234.4 million EUR, 342.8 million USD) for the reimbursement of oncological drugs in outpatient, named patient and inpatient care. The reimbursement of oncological drugs represents a significant expenditure for the Hungarian National Health Insurance Fund Administration (OEP). Boncz I, Donka-Verebes é, Oberfrank F, Kásler M. Assessment of annual health insurance reimbursement of oncology drugs in Hungary.