IJCM₂9A: Expenditure incurred by cancer patients covered under National Health Protection Scheme attending a tertiary care hospital in Mangalore

Background: Over the past decades, cancer has become the second leading cause of death and morbidities around the world, accounting for nearly 1 in 6 of the total global deaths. The cost of treatment depends on the type of cancer, the duration of treatment, the type of hospital, and whether they are covered under any health insurance. Objectives: 1. Cost of cancer treatment, before and after registration under VAS, among cancer patients attending an empanelled tertiary care hospital in South India 2. Pattern of OOPE incurred by households of cancer patients. 3. Proportion of expenditure spent on cancer treatment in comparison to the annual family income. Methodology: A hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted in tertiary care centre among cancer patients covered under VAS, from April to May 2018. Patients who were not covered under the schemes were excluded from the study. Results: Out of the 150 cancer patients actively receiving cancer treatment, a majority, i.e., 65% of them were females. More than half of them (66%) were in the age group of 20-60 years. Only 9% of patients had additional health insurance to aid their expenditures while the rest were dependent only on VAS. The median (IQR) monthly income of the patient and family members was 153(83;293) USD. The overall median (IQR) cost was 525(230;980) in our patients. Costs before initiation of treatment under VAS constituted almost 90% of direct medical OOPE spent by the patient and his family. The overall mean OOPE in this study was 856 USD. 70% of the patients incurred a monthly cost of ≥40% of their monthly family income and 41% of the patient’s OOPE was more than 100% of their monthly family income. Conclusion: A monthly cost-to-income ratio of 240% is seen in 70% of the patients, Loans were taken and donations received to combat the expenditures. Hence VAS should reimburse the medical cost before enrolment under VAS. VAS can step up and protect its objectives by reimbursing the diagnostic costs and any long-term non-medical costs associated with the illness, as this would help reduce the OOPE by 1/3 making a huge difference to their financial status.