Which cost category is commonly used to capture patient travel costs?

• A. Direct costs
• B. Indirect costs
• C. Sunk costs
• D. Capital costs

Answer: (B)

Patient travel costs are not about the medical services themselves, such as drugs or the provider’s time. They’re expenses patients incur to access care and may include transportation, time, and sometimes lost productivity. These costs come from the broader burden of obtaining care rather than from delivering the medical intervention. That’s why they’re categorized as indirect costs—they reflect the economic impact outside the direct resources used for treatment. Direct costs would be the actual medical services and supplies, sunk costs are past unavoidable expenditures, and capital costs are long-term assets like buildings or equipment. So, when capturing patient travel costs, the indirect cost category fits best.