[Additional Costs for Care of Patients with Multi-Resistant Pathogens--An Analysis from the Perspective of a Statutory Health Insurance]

Abstract

Aim of this study was to determine the additional expenditures for a German statutory health insurance which are induced by patients with multi-resistant bacteria. Therefore a nationwide cross-sectional data analysis using routine data of the health insurance "Techniker Krankenkasse" was conducted. In the consideration of costs we included expenditures for inpatient and outpatient care and on drugs in a time period of 12 months. A control group was matched by age, gender, basic disease, quarterly period and region. On average additional costs of 17,500 Euro per insured were calculated due to the presence of multi-resistant bacteria. The hypothesis was corroborated in that the level of these costs differ widely by age, gender and basic disease.