Estimating the cost of treating patients with liver cirrhosis at the Mexican Social Security Institute

Objective. To estimate the annual cost of treating patients with cirrhosis at the Mexican Institute of Social Security (IMSS per its abbreviation in Spanish). Material and Methods. The annual cost of treating three stages of cirrhosis (Child-Pugh A, Child-Pugh B and Child-Pugh C) was estimated using micro-costing techniques and medical experts. These results were compared and contrasted with prices reported by IMSS. Results. The annual cost of treatment, in USA dollars, by Child-Pugh stage was: a) micro-costing results: $1 110.17 stage A, $549.55 stage B and $348.16 stage C; b) opinion of medical experts: $1 633.64, $6 564.04 and $19 660.35, respectively; and c) IMSS costs: $4 269.00, $16 949.63 and $30 249.25, respectively. Conclusions. The cost of treating patients with cirrhosis is considerable, and costs increase as the disease worsens. Cost estimates vary depending on the source of information, and the methodology used. There are discrepancies between the procedures reported in medical records and treatment recommendations by IMSS liver experts.