Hospital costs of COVID-19, post-COVID-19 condition and other viral pneumonias: a cost comparison analysis

Objectives

To compare hospital admission costs for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases to hospital admission costs for other viral pneumonia cases in Australia, and to describe hospital admission costs for post-COVID-19 condition.

Design, setting, participants

A cost comparison analysis of hospital admissions due to COVID-19 or other viral pneumonias between 1 January 2020 and 30 June 2021 at Victorian public health acute and subacute services.

Main outcome measures

Demographic characteristics, clinical outcomes (including diagnoses, impairment, subacute admission, intensive care unit admissions, ventilation, and length of stay) and cost data (including diagnostic-related groups, and total, direct and indirect costs).

Results

During the study period, 3197 patients were admitted to hospital due to COVID-19 and 15 761 were admitted for other viral pneumonias. Admissions for COVID-19 cost 29% more than admissions for other viral pneumonias. Admissions for COVID-19 requiring intensive care unit admission incurred significantly higher mean costs (A$120 504 or US$90 595) compared with those not requiring intensive care unit admission (A$19 634 or US$14 761). The adjusted cost of admissions related to post-COVID-19 condition was A$11 090 or US$8 337, and these admissions were significantly more likely to be elective. Direct costs accounted for most of the costs for all groups, and admissions for post-COVID-19 condition used less allied health services than other groups.

Conclusions

Given its recent emergence, cases of acute COVID-19 and post-COVID-19 condition have had a significant additional financial impact on Australian hospitals. Further studies are required to understand long term costs and identify trends over time in the context of increased vaccination rates and subsequent variants of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2.