The purpose of this study was to characterize the financial impact of CRS on patients, specifically by evaluating its associated OOPEs and the perceived financial burden. The secondary aim was to determine the factors predictive of OOPEs and perceived responsibility.

Patients with CRS at a tertiary care sinus center completed a self-administered questionnaire that assessed their socioeconomic characteristics, disease-specific quality of life, workdays missed due to CRS, perceived financial burden, and direct medical and nonmedical OOPEs over 12 months. 

Eighty-four patients completed the questionnaires. After accounting for health insurance coverage and the median direct medical, direct nonmedical, and total OOPEs per patient over 12 months, CAD was $336.00, CAD 129.87, and CAD 607.10, respectively. CRS resulted in an average of 20.6 workdays missed over 12 months. Factors predictive of a higher financial burden included younger age, a more significant number of previous sinus surgeries, <80% health insurance coverage, residing out of town, and higher SNOT-22 scores.

Total OOPEs incurred from the treatment of CRS may amount to CAD 607.10 per patient per year, within the context of a single-payer health care system.

Reference: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.2500/ajra.2017.31.4452

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