Cost of hospitalization of different types of schistosomiasis cases in endemic areas in the Philippines: Indicating the need to increase the coverage of government health insurance
Background. Schistosomiasis is endemic in the Philippines. Currently, the fnancial and economic costs of hospitalizaton due to schistosomiasis have not been studied or analyzed. This will be essental to the review of health beneft package of PhilHealth for schistosomiasis. Objectves. This study estmated the cost of hospitalizaton due to schistosomiasis and its complicatons in the Philippines. Methods. This is a cross-sectonal mixed-methods study. Nine (9) hospitals from schistosomiasis-endemic provinces were included in the study. Medical records and billing statements from year 2013 were retrieved and analyzed. Non-medical costs were calculated based on data from key informants and existng economic data in 2013. Results. A total of 1,415 hospitalized cases were collected; 94% came from government hospitals. Fify nine percent (59%) were classifed under uncomplicated schistosomiasis. Overall hospitalizaton costs were PhP 8,489,524.39 (USD 200,006.70), with cases of hepatc complicatons having the highest costs among all types of cases. Combined nonmedical costs and productvity losses for 5,005 days of hospitalizaton were PhP 13,019,363.75 (USD 306,726.25). Conclusion. The estmated clinical cost burden and economic losses due to schistosomiasis in selected sites in the Philippines amount to PhP 21,508,888.14 (USD 506,732.95). Signifcant drivers of cost were the presence of schistosomiasis sequelae or complicatons, co-morbidites, and increasing length of stay. Estmated productvity losses and non-medical expenses of patents due to hospitalizaton were found to be more burdensome than the actual hospital bills. These costs stress the need for government to provide health coverage for patents diagnosed with schistosomiasis.
