Economic Burden of Community-Acquired Pneumonia among Adults in the Philippines_ Its Equity and Policy Implications in the Case Rate Payments of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation

Objectives: To determine 1) the cost of hospitalization, the 1-week postdischarge cost, the total cost, and the economic burden of community-acquired pneumonia among patients aged 19 years or older in the Philippines and 2) the difference between the estimated costs and the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) pneumonia case rate payments. Methods: The study involved two tertiary private hospitals in the Philippines. Using the societal perspective, both health care and non–health care costs were determined. A base-case analysis and sensitivity analyses were performed, and the economic burden of pneumonia was determined using PhilHealth claims. Results: The estimated cost of hospitalization for community-acquired pneumonia-moderate risk (CAP-MR) ranged from Philippine peso (PHP) 36,153 to 113,633 (US $852–2678) and its 1-week postdischarge cost ranged from PHP1450 to 8800 (US $34–207). The cost of hospitalization for community-acquired pneumonia-high risk (CAP-HR) ranged from PHP104,544 to 249,695 (US $2464–5885) and PHP101,248 to 243, 495 (US $2386–5739) using invasive and ee front matter Copyright & 2015, International S