772. Access Denied: Impact of Insurance Denials for High-Cost Outpatient Parenteral Antimicrobial Therapy

Abstract

BackgroundOutpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy (OPAT) allows patients to receive prolonged antimicrobial therapy while reducing the length of hospitalization and healthcare costs. In the United States, most public and private insurance companies require prior authorization (PA) for OPAT. The impact of OPAT PA delays is not known. This study aimed to characterize discharge barriers and authorization delays associated with high-cost OPAT antibiotics.MethodsIRB-approved study of adult patients discharged with high-cost OPAT antibiotics from January to December 2017. Antibiotics were included based on the frequency of OPAT use and average sales price (ASP) greater than $100 per day, including: daptomycin, ceftaroline, ertapenem, and the novel β-lactam β-lactam inhibitor combinations. Patients with an OPAT authorization delay >24 hours were compared with patients without an OPAT authorization delay. Primary endpoint: total direct hospital costs, starting from the start of treatment with the OPAT antibiotic, from the institutional perspective using Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project and Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services 2019 ASP Drug Pricing data. Secondary outcomes: discharge delay and 30-day readmission or mortality.ResultsTwo-hundred patients included: 151 (76%) no OPAT delay vs. 49 (25%) OPAT delay. The use of antibiotics was similar between groups, except ertapenem was more common in the no OPAT delay group: 60 (43%) vs. 15 (25%), P = 0.022. Patients with no OPAT delay were more commonly discharged with home infusion and less commonly to a facility: 75 (53%) vs. 19 (32%), P = 0.007, and 52 (37%) vs. 37 (63%), P = 0.001, respectively. Discharge delays were more common in patients with OPAT delays: 21 (15%) vs. 31 (53%), P < 0.001. The median total direct hospital costs were higher in patients with OPAT delays: $7,770 (3,031–13,974) vs. $19,576 vs. (10,056–37,038), P < 0.001. Table 1 compares the total direct hospital costs of patients with and without an authorization delay.ConclusionOPAT with high-cost antibiotics requires significant care coordination. Authorization delays for these antibiotics are common and may contribute to a delay in discharge. OPAT transitions of care represent an important opportunity for Infectious Diseases providers to improve care and address access barriers. Disclosures All authors: No reported disclosures.