Costs of medical care and out-of-pocket expenditures for persons with AIDS in the Boston Health Study.
We examined the cost of health care and out-of-pocket medical expenditures for 189 persons with AIDS at three sites in Massachusetts: an HMO; a public hospital immunodeficiency clinic; and a group practice at a major teaching hospital. The mean cost of care during a four-month reference period was $9,093 +/- $12,683 (mean +/- standard deviation) per patient. Thirty-six percent of the cost was due to hospital care and 40% was due to home health care. Mean out-of-pocket expenditures were $429 +/- $991 (mean +/- standard deviation). Studies that focus on the cost of hospital care may seriously underestimate the medical costs of AIDS.
Epstein
A M
AM
Department of Health Care Policy, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
Seage
G
G
Weissman
J S
JS
Cleary
P D
PD
Fowler
F J
FJ
Gatsonis
C
C
Massagli
M P
MP
Stone
V E
VE
Coltin
K
K
Craven
D E
DE
D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000191:economics*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001900:Boston; D005260:Female; D017048:Health Care Costs / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005102:Health Expenditures / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006699:Home Care Services / Q000191:economics; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged