Costs of Diabetes Mellitus (CoDiM) in Germany, direct per-capita costs of managing hyperglycaemia and diabetes complications in 2010 compared to 2001

Introduction: To identify direct health care costs of patients with diabetes in Germany in 2010, with focus on costs of treating hyperglycaemia and costs caused by diabetes complications, and to compare findings with results from the CoDiM study 2001.

Material and methods: The cost analysis was based on administrative data (18.75% random sample of 1.5 million insured persons). Medical costs covered by statutory health insurance and costs covered by nursing care insurance were included. Incremental differences in costs of patients with diabetes (n=30 987) and age and sex-matched subjects without a diagnosis of diabetes (controls) were estimated according to the number and type of complications. Costs were standardised to the German population.

Results: In 2010, incremental medical costs attributed to diabetes were € 2 391 (95% confidence interval: 2 257-2 524) per patient with diabetes. Of that amount, 26.5% were spent for the management of hyperglycaemia (€ 633 (622-644)) and 73.5% for the treatment of comp-lications (€ 1 758 (1 627-1 889)). Nursing care contributed incremental costs of € 289 (249-330), of which 98.8% was due to complications. From 2001 to 2010 the incremental per-capita costs for medical and nursing care decreased by 4.8% (controls: +3.9%), the per-capita costs for treating hyperglycaemia increased by 2.0% and the per-capita costs for complications decreased by 7.0%.

Conclusion: Cost for diabetes is largely caused by management of complications. It is important to prevent complications by consequent management of diabetes as well as by primary prevention of its onset.