Cost analysis of hemophilia treatment in a Brazilian public blood center

Abstract Background hemophilia is a rare coagulopathy, treated by replacing the missing blood clotting factor. Objective to assess the direct costs of hemophilia treatment from the perspective of the Unified Health System, highlighting the impact costs of new therapeutic modalities. Method partial economic assessment of the direct costs of hemophilia, in which were collected data from patient records from 2011 to 2015, at the Blood Center in the city of Juiz de Fora. Costs were assigned to consultations, exams, hospitalizations, and medications according to the price list of the National Health Surveillance Agency (in Portuguese ANVISA) and the Table of Procedures, and Medications. Results among 98 patients evaluated, 76 had hemophilia A, and 43.3% presented severe hemophilia. The number of consultations and the consumption of Clotting Factor Concentrates (CFCs) were higher in severe hemophilia. Hospitalizations were rare. Direct costs increased 286.8% from 2011 to 2015. The mean annual cost per patient was R$57,416.43, with no significant difference between hemophilia A and B. The expenditures for factor concentrates amounted to 99.46% of total costs. The actual impact cost was more than R$6,000,000.00. Conclusion the direct costs of hemophilia were high, mainly due to factor concentrates. There was an increase in costs with the incorporation of technologies, although there are some areas with potential inefficiencies.