COSTS OF MEDICAL-CARE AND OUT-OF-POCKET EXPENDITURES FOR PERSONS WITHAIDS IN THE BOSTON HEALTH STUDY

We examined the cost of health care and out-of-pocket medical expendit ures for 189 persons with AIDS at three sites in Massachusetts: an HMO ; a public hospital immunodeficiency clinic; and a group practice at a major teaching hospital. The mean cost of cave during a four-month re ference period was $9,093 +/- $12,683 (mean +/- standard deviation) pe r patient, Thirty-six percent of the cost was due to hospital care and 40% was due to home health care. Mean out-of-pocket expenditures were $429 +/- $991 (mean +/- standard deviation). Studies that focus on th e cost of hospital cave may seriously underestimate the medical costs of AIDS.