Our objective was to identify the financial burden patient are faced with and how this has changed from 2009-2014.

Data from the Health care Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP) database was queried from 2009-2014 for the four variables include total costs and charges, aggregate costs and aggregate charges associated with CNS cancers in the United States. Z-tests were performed to evaluate the differences across years.

During the study period we found 211,114 patients with CNS cancers in the United States. Overall we found significant changes in all four categories we looked at. From 2009 to 2014 mean hospital charges increased from $70,761 to $99,517 (p < .005) and mean hospital costs increased from $21,056 to $26,544 (p < .005). On a larger scale we also analyzed mean aggregate charges and mean aggregate costs. In 2009 aggregate charges were $2,312,823,603 and in 2014 reached $3,534,724,905 (p < .005). Similarly, mean aggregate costs went from $688,048,943 in 2009 to $942,404,974 (p < .005). Yearly changes were only significant in two instances mean hospital charges from 2012 to 2013 and mean aggregate costs from 2009 to 2010.

The data shows a concerning and significant upward trend in the financial burden of CNS cancers. Not only is this an enormous cost to the healthcare system, but the individual who must shoulder the anxiety of a life altering diagnosis must also grapple with this increasing charges. Further investigation is warranted in order to illuminate the reason for these increases and what effect if any this plays in access to care and mortality rates.