Objectives

To describe the direct cost and out-of-pocket expenses that stroke survivors face in Colombia.

Materials and Methods

We collected data from 67 stroke patients, who came to the emergency department or were referred to two institutions during 2017. We applied a questionnaire on which we asked about direct cost and out-of-pocket expenses at the moment of hospitalization and one year after the stroke.

Results

74% of patients made payments during hospitalization, the average cost for Ran-kin score 0 to 2 or less was $1,619. On the other hand, 56,7% of patients made payments after hospital discharge, the average cost for patients was between $444 and $5,909.

Conclusion

Stroke is a disease with a great impact on patients because of their disability and families because of its high cost. Direct cost and out-of-pocket expenses in stroke are high which can mean a catastrophic expenditure even leading to an impoverishing expenditure and a barrier to patients and families. We consider necessary to investigate the catastrophic costs in this population and open up the debate to finance goods excluded from health insurance plans in low-income families.