Background and purpose: In many countries, measurements are taken to support cancer patients. In Iran the high costs of cancers and increasing incidence of cancer have made health system authorities to plan for this issue as a top priority of healthcare reform program. The aim of this study was to evaluate the performance of this program in cancer patients in Sari Imam Khomeini teaching hospital, Iran.

Materials and methods: An analytical study was performed in which the costs of leukemia patients admitted in Sari Imam Khomeini Hospital (in two six-month periods, April-October 2013 and 2014) were obtained using their medical and billing records. Data analysis was done in SPSS V.21 applying t-test.

Results: Percentage of direct patient costs were 17.12% and 3.02% in 2013 and 2014, respectively. The portion of the medicine fee paid by patients reduced to 7.7% in 2014 (after implementing the healthcare reform program) from 16.8% in 2013. 

Conclusion: Implementation of healthcare reform program has dramatically reduced the direct patient costs in 2014. Also, the fee paid by patients for medicine has reduced by 9% following the program.  Therefore, adopting new policies that could reduce the costs of medications can be of great benefit in reducing financial barriers to patients.