Billion In Direct Medical Costs Research Articles

Health, economic and social burden of tobacco in Latin America and the expected gains of fully implementing taxes, plain packaging, advertising bans and smoke-free environments control measures: a modelling study

ObjectiveTo investigate the tobacco-attributable burden on disease, medical costs, productivity losses and informal caregiving; and to estimate the health and economic gains that can be achieved if the main tobacco...

Economic Costs Attributed to Diagnosed Diabetes in Each U.S. State and the District of Columbia: 2021.

To update state-specific estimates of diabetes-attributable costs in the U.S. and assess changes in spending from 2013 to 2021. We used an attributable fraction approach to estimate direct medical costs of diagnosed diabetes using the 2021 State Health Expenditure Accounts, the 2021 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services 2018-2019 Minimum Data Set. We estimated diabetes-attributable productivity losses from morbidity and mortality using the 2016-2021 National Health Interview Survey and the 2021 mortality data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Costs were adjusted to 2021 U.S. dollars. Total diabetes-attributable cost in 2021 was $640 billion ($335 billion in direct medical costs and $305 billion in indirect costs). The median state-level total diabetes-attributable cost was $8.2 billion (range $842 million to $81 billion). The median state-level per-person cost was $21,082, ranging from $17,452 to $37,090. Total diabetes-attributable cost increased by a median of 33% between 2013 and 2021, ranging from 16 to 68% across states. Medical costs increased by 50% overall (range 33-79%) and by 27% (range 15-41%) for per person with diabetes. Costs paid by Medicaid experienced the highest increase between 2013 and 2021 (median 153%; range 41-483%). State economic costs of diagnosed diabetes are substantial and increased over the last decade. These costs and their growth vary considerably across states. These findings may help state policy makers in developing evidenced-based public health interventions in their respective states to prevent and control the prevalence of diabetes.

Health and Economic Value of Eliminating Socioeconomic Disparities in US Youth Physical Activity

There are considerable socioeconomic status (SES) disparities in youth physical activity (PA) levels. For example, studies show that lower-SES youth are less active, have lower participation in organized sports and physical education classes, and have more limited access to PA equipment. To determine the potential public health and economic effects of eliminating disparities in PA levels among US youth SES groups. An agent-based model representing all 6- to 17-year-old children in the US was used to simulate the epidemiological, clinical, and economic effects of disparities in PA levels among different SES groups and the effect of reducing these disparities. Anthropometric measures (eg, body mass index) and the presence and severity of risk factors associated with weight (stroke, coronary heart disease, type 2 diabetes, or cancer), as well as direct and indirect cost savings. This model, representing all 50 million US children and adolescents 6 to 17 years old, found that if the US eliminates the disparity in youth PA levels across SES groups, absolute overweight and obesity prevalence would decrease by 0.826% (95% CI, 0.821%-0.832%), resulting in approximately 383 000 (95% CI, 368 000-399 000) fewer cases of overweight and obesity and 101 000 (95% CI, 98 000-105 000) fewer cases of weight-related diseases (stroke and coronary heart disease events, type 2 diabetes, or cancer). This would result in more than $15.60 (95% CI, $15.01-$16.10) billion in cost savings over the youth cohort's lifetime. There are meaningful benefits even when reducing the disparity by just 25%, which would result in $1.85 (95% CI, $1.70-$2.00) billion in direct medical costs averted and $2.48 (95% CI, $2.04-$2.92) billion in productivity losses averted. For every 1% in disparity reduction, total productivity losses would decrease by about $83.8 million, and total direct medical costs would decrease by about $68.7 million. This study quantified the potential savings from eliminating or reducing PA disparities, which can help policymakers, health care systems, schools, funders, sports organizations, and other businesses better prioritize investments toward addressing these disparities.

The potential epidemiologic, clinical, and economic value of a universal coronavirus vaccine: a modelling study

With efforts underway to develop a universal coronavirus vaccine, otherwise known as a pan-coronavirus vaccine, this is the time to offer potential funders, researchers, and manufacturers guidance on the potential value of such a vaccine and how this value may change with differing vaccine and vaccination characteristics. Using a computational model representing the United States (U.S.) population, the spread of SARS-CoV-2 and the various clinical and economic outcomes of COVID-19 such as hospitalisations, deaths, quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) lost, productivity losses, direct medical costs, and total societal costs, we explored the impact of a universal vaccine under different circumstances. We developed and populated this model using data reported by the CDC as well as observational studies conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic. A pan-coronavirus vaccine would be cost saving in the U.S. as a standalone intervention as long as its vaccine efficacy is≥10% and vaccination coverage is≥10%. Every 1% increase in efficacy between 10% and 50% could avert an additional 395,000 infections and save $1.0 billion in total societal costs ($45.3 million in productivity losses, $1.1 billion in direct medical costs). It would remain cost saving even when a strain-specific coronavirus vaccine would be subsequently available, as long as it takes at least 2-3 months to develop, test, and bring that more specific vaccine to the market. Our results provide support for the development and stockpiling of a pan-coronavirus vaccine and help delineate the vaccine characteristics to aim for in development of such a vaccine. The National Science Foundation, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, the National Institute ofGeneral Medical Sciences, the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, and the City University of New York.

Economic Costs of Diabetes in the U.S. in 2022.

This study updates previous estimates of the economic burden of diagnosed diabetes, with calculation of the health resource use and indirect costs attributable to diabetes in 2022. We combine the demographics of the U.S. population in 2022 with diabetes prevalence, from national survey data, epidemiological data, health care cost data, and economic data, into a Cost of Diabetes Economic Model to estimate the economic burden at the population and per capita levels. Health resource use and associated medical costs are analyzed by age, sex, race/ethnicity, comorbid condition, and health service category. Data sources include national surveys (2015-2020 or most recent available), Medicare standard analytic files (2020), and administrative claims data from 2018 to 2021 for a large commercially insured population in the U.S. The total estimated cost of diagnosed diabetes in the U.S. in 2022 is $412.9 billion, including $306.6 billion in direct medical costs and $106.3 billion in indirect costs attributable to diabetes. For cost categories analyzed, care for people diagnosed with diabetes accounts for 1 in 4 health care dollars in the U.S., 61% of which are attributable to diabetes. On average people with diabetes incur annual medical expenditures of $19,736, of which approximately $12,022 is attributable to diabetes. People diagnosed with diabetes, on average, have medical expenditures 2.6 times higher than what would be expected without diabetes. Glucose-lowering medications and diabetes supplies account for ∼17% of the total direct medical costs attributable to diabetes. Major contributors to indirect costs are reduced employment due to disability ($28.3 billion), presenteeism ($35.8 billion), and lost productivity due to 338,526 premature deaths ($32.4 billion). The inflation-adjusted direct medical costs of diabetes are estimated to rise 7% from 2017 and 35% from 2012 calculations (stated in 2022 dollars). Following decades of steadily increasing prevalence of diabetes, the overall estimated prevalence in 2022 remains relatively stable in comparison to 2017. However, the absolute number of people with diabetes has grown and contributes to increased health care expenditures, particularly per capita spending on inpatient hospital stays and prescription medications. The enormous economic toll of diabetes continues to burden society through direct medical and indirect costs.

Non-Invasive Biomechanical Intervention Leads to Low Rates of Total Knee Replacement and Reduced Utilization of Healthcare Resources among Older Adults with Chronic Knee Pain: A 5-Year Follow-Up Study

Chronic knee pain, primarily associated with knee osteoarthritis (OA), is a leading cause of disability among older adults and place an immense burden on patients and healthcare systems, exceeding $80 billion in direct medical costs annually.

578. Cost-effectiveness of Infant Vaccination with PCV15 Compared to PCV13 in the United States

Abstract Background Streptococcus pneumoniae is a major cause of mortality and morbidity in young children. The 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13) has been in routine use in children in the United States (US) since 2010. An investigational 15-valent vaccine (PCV15) that protects against two additional serotypes is currently under review by the FDA. This study aimed to evaluate the clinical and economic impact of routine infant vaccination with PCV15 compared with PCV13 from a US societal perspective. Methods A Markov decision-analytic model was developed to estimate the impact of PCV15 vs. PCV13 on pneumococcal disease incidence, post meningitis sequalae, and deaths. The model followed the entire US population over a 100-year time horizon, taking herd immunity effects into account. Each vaccination program comprised 3 primary doses and one booster for the new birth cohorts. Model inputs were obtained from the published literature, online databases, and unpublished data. PCV15 effectiveness was extrapolated from observed PCV13 data and PCV7 clinical trials. Costs (in 2021 USD) and quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) were discounted at 3% per year. Because the price for PCV15 in the pediatric indication is currently unknown, an analysis was conducted to determine the threshold price, which was defined as the maximum price for PCV15 to remain cost-saving. A series of sensitivity analyses were performed to test the robustness of model results. Results The base case results projected that PCV15 prevented 185,711 more invasive pneumococcal disease cases, 987,727 all-cause pneumonia cases and 11,151,473 pneumococcal acute otitis media and tube-replacement cases compared with PCV13. This resulted in an expected gain of 96,056 QALYs and total reduction of $7 billion in direct medical costs (excluding vaccine costs), and $4 billion in direct non-medical and indirect costs in the US population over the 100-year time horizon. The threshold price per dose for PCV15 was $28 higher than PCV13’s price. Sensitivity analyses showed the results to be robust over plausible values of key model inputs and assumptions. Conclusion Infant vaccination with PCV15 is projected to provide both clinical benefits and cost-savings compared with PCV13. Disclosures Min Huang, PhD, Merck & Co., Inc.: full-time employee Tianyan Hu, Ph.D., Merck & Co., Inc.: full time employee Jessica Weaver, PhD, MPH, Merck & Co., Inc.: Employee Kwame Owusu-Edusei, Ph.D., Merck & Co., Inc.: full time employee Elamin Elbasha, Ph.D., Merck & Co., Inc.: full time employee.

Abstract P3-16-01: Population effectiveness model of the consequences of recurrence after trastuzumab emtansine (T-DM1) treatment among U.S. patients with high-risk HER2+ early-stage breast cancer (ESBC)

Abstract Background: To estimate the long-term consequences of disease recurrence following treatment with adjuvant T-DM1 among U.S. patients with high-risk HER2+ ESBC who did not achieve pathologic complete response (pCR) after neoadjuvant therapy. Methods: A Markov model was used to simulate local/regional and distant recurrence with 10 years of follow-up. This corresponds to the estimated number of U.S. patients with incident high-risk HER2+ ESBC in 2021 (n = 10,000), which was derived from SEER population-based estimates, the NEOSPHERE trial and expert clinical opinion. The probability of recurrence was based on the T-DM1 arm in the KATHERINE trial and long-term results from the HERA trial. We assumed that 80% of patients with any recurrence experience distant recurrence, while the remainder have local/regional recurrence. SEER data and literature review were used to estimate probabilities of survival, distant recurrence secondary to local/regional recurrence, and direct medical costs. We estimated indirect costs were equal to 15% of direct medical costs. Model outcomes included: recurrences, breast cancer-related deaths, non-breast cancer-related deaths, direct medical costs, and indirect costs (all undiscounted). Results were compared to a scenario in which there was no recurrence to estimate population impact. All outcomes were also projected over 10 annual incident cohorts, each with 10 years of follow-up. Results: We estimated the 2021 U.S. patient cohort would experience 2,279 recurrences, including 1,834 distant, and 1,559 breast cancer-related deaths over 10 years, resulting in 7,744 lost years of life and $632 million in additional spending, including $549 million in direct medical costs. Projection to 10 years of incident cohorts would lead to approximately 23,000 recurrences, 16,000 deaths, 77,000 lost years of life and $6 billion in direct medical costs. Conclusions: Patients with HER2+ ESBC who do not achieve pCR after neoadjuvant therapy are at ongoing risk of recurrence despite the effectiveness of treatment with T-DM1. There is substantial clinical and economic value in further reducing the recurrence risk among this population. Findings for 2021 Cohort Projected over 10 YearsWith recurrenceNo recurrenceDifferenceLocal/regional recurrences4450445Distant recurrence1,83401,834Breast cancer deaths1,55901,559Non-breast cancer deaths416457-41Direct costs$573M$24M$549MIndirect costs$86M$3.6M$82MLife years90,24997,993-7,744Costs$659M$27M$632M Citation Format: David L Veenstra, Nathaniel Hendrix, Chantal M Dolan, Kathryn Fisher, Deepa Lalla, Nina Hill, Beverly Moy. Population effectiveness model of the consequences of recurrence after trastuzumab emtansine (T-DM1) treatment among U.S. patients with high-risk HER2+ early-stage breast cancer (ESBC) [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2021 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2021 Dec 7-10; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2022;82(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P3-16-01.

Lives and Costs Saved by Expanding and Expediting Coronavirus Disease 2019 Vaccination.

BackgroundWith multiple coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines available, understanding the epidemiologic, clinical, and economic value of increasing coverage levels and expediting vaccination is important.MethodsWe developed a computational model (transmission and age-stratified clinical and economics outcome model) representing the United States population, COVID-19 coronavirus spread (February 2020–December 2022), and vaccination to determine the impact of increasing coverage and expediting time to achieve coverage.ResultsWhen achieving a given vaccination coverage in 270 days (70% vaccine efficacy), every 1% increase in coverage can avert an average of 876 800 (217 000–2 398 000) cases, varying with the number of people already vaccinated. For example, each 1% increase between 40% and 50% coverage can prevent 1.5 million cases, 56 240 hospitalizations, and 6660 deaths; gain 77 590 quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs); and save $602.8 million in direct medical costs and $1.3 billion in productivity losses. Expediting to 180 days could save an additional 5.8 million cases, 215 790 hospitalizations, 26 370 deaths, 206 520 QALYs, $3.5 billion in direct medical costs, and $4.3 billion in productivity losses.ConclusionsOur study quantifies the potential value of decreasing vaccine hesitancy and increasing vaccination coverage and how this value may decrease with the time it takes to achieve coverage, emphasizing the need to reach high coverage levels as soon as possible, especially before the fall/winter.

Leveraging Mechanical Forces to Target Insulin Injection-Induced Lipohypertrophy and Fibrosis.

As of 2017, more than 30 million Americans—nearly 10% of the population—have diabetes (1). More than 1.5 million new cases of diabetes were diagnosed in 2015 (1). The prevalence of both type 1 and type 2 diabetes is rapidly increasing, and by 2050, diabetes is expected to affect more than one in five adults in the United States (2–5). The economic burden of diabetes is enormous and growing; in 2017, it was estimated to be $327 billion, including $237 billion in direct medical costs (6), a nearly twofold increase from 2007 (3). The 1.25 million American adults living with type 1 diabetes comprise 5.6% of all U.S. adults with a diabetes diagnosis (7). Because these patients are unable to produce sufficient endogenous insulin, they are reliant on exogenous insulin injections for their entire lives. In addition to individuals with type 1 diabetes, roughly 30% of patients with type 2 diabetes also require insulin therapy, typically in the setting of A1C levels that are uncontrolled with oral hypoglycemic agents (8–11). Recently, exorbitant insulin prices have dominated news headlines across the United States. In just 5 years, from 2012 to 2017, the cost of insulin increased by 110% (6). Insulin costs totaled more than $14 billion in 2017, not including required supplies and equipment, which were responsible for an additional $5 billion in costs (6). Beyond the sizeable economic burden of insulin use, long-term insulin administration can also cause a host of problems for patients. In particular, repeated insulin injections and insulin pump use often result in complications and changes in the skin at injection or pump sites (Figure 1) (12). The two most common injection site complications are: 1. Fibrosis, the accumulation of stiff, dense scar tissue at the injection site (Figure 1 A , middle …

Social Determinants of Health and Structural Inequities-Root Causes of Diabetes Disparities.

Diabetes is the seventh leading cause of death in the U.S. and remains a significant cause of disability and decreased quality of life (1,2). In 2018, over 34 million people in the U.S. had diabetes (1). Historically marginalized groups such as racial and ethnic minorities, as well as those with lower socioeconomic status, bear a disproportionate burden of diabetes and its associated complications: blindness, neuropathy, limb amputations, chronic kidney disease, cardiovascular disease, and death (1,3). Additionally, the economic burden of diabetes amounts to approximately $237 billion in direct medical costs and $90 billion in lost productivity (4). Diabetes is a public health crisis that must be addressed by acknowledging and intervening on contextual factors outside of traditional medical care if we are to truly make an impact on improving outcomes, particularly for our most marginalized communities. While contributors to diabetes outcomes are unequivocally multifactorial, cumulative evidence suggests that certain factors play a larger role than others (5). For example, medical care plays a relatively small part (approximately 10–15%) in shaping individual and population-level health outcomes (5,6). In contrast, social and environmental factors, collectively known as the social determinants of health (SDOH), combined account for 50% to 60% of health outcomes and are a key contributor to health and health care disparities (5,6). The World Health Organization’s definition of SDOH also notes that these social and environmental factors are “shaped by the distribution of money, power and resources at global, national and local levels” and are largely responsible for inequities in health outcomes (7). To achieve health equity, we must address SDOH, and do so at …

Type 2 diabetes in the US managed care setting: the burden of disease and rationale for an oral glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist.

Diabetes affects an estimated 34 million US adults, with type 2 diabetes (T2D) accounting for 90% to 95% of cases. The downstream consequences of uncontrolled T2D are substantial, including an increased risk of microvascular complications (eg, renal impairment, retinopathy, and peripheral neuropathy), cardiovascular disease, impaired quality of life, and death. Overall, diabetes places a significant strain on the US health care system, with 7.8 million hospitalizations annually among patients with diabetes, and $237 billion in direct medical costs. Injectable glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs) have been available for T2D for over a decade, and are recommended, in particular, for patients with a compelling need to minimize hypoglycemia risk, curtail weight gain, or promote weight loss, and for patients with established cardiovascular disease. Despite being associated with high glucose-lowering efficacy, weight loss, and a low risk of hypoglycemia, injectable GLP-1RAs are relatively underutilized, and are associated with suboptimal adherence and persistence. These challenges may relate in part to the injectable route of administration, given that injection-related concerns have been linked with a failure to intensify T2D therapy in a timely manner (ie, therapeutic inertia), and are cited by patients as a barrier to initiating and persisting with injectable treatments. The approval of the first tablet formulation of a GLP-1RA for T2D, oral semaglutide, has the potential to address these challenges. In this context, we review the burden of T2D in the United States, the role of GLP-1RAs, the challenges of therapeutic inertia and poor adherence, and the rationale for an oral GLP-1RA, focusing on considerations for managed care.

The health and economic burden of smoking in 12 Latin American countries and the potential effect of increasing tobacco taxes: an economic modelling study

Worldwide, smoking tobacco causes 7 million deaths annually, and this toll is expected to increase, especially in low-income and middle-income countries. In Latin America, smoking is a leading risk factor for death and disability, contributes to poverty, and imposes an economic burden on health systems. Despite being one of the most effective measures to reduce smoking, tobacco taxation is underused and cigarettes are more affordable in Latin America than in other regions. Our aim was to estimate the tobacco-attributable burden on mortality, disease incidence, quality of life lost, and medical costs in 12 Latin American countries, and the expected health and economic effects of increasing tobacco taxes. In this modelling study, we developed a Markov probabilistic microsimulation economic model of the natural history, medical costs, and quality-of-life losses associated with the most common tobacco-related diseases in 12 countries in Latin America. Data inputs were obtained through a literature review, vital statistics, and hospital databases from each country: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Honduras, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru, and Uruguay. The main outcomes of the model are life-years, quality-adjusted life-years, disease events, hospitalisations, disease incidence, disease cost, and healthy years of life lost. We estimated direct medical costs for each tobacco-related disease included in the model using a common costing methodology for each country. The disease burden was estimated as the difference in disease events, deaths, and associated costs between the results predicted by the model for current smoking prevalence and a hypothetical cohort of people in each country who had never smoked. The model estimates the health and financial effects of a price increase of cigarettes through taxes, in terms of disease and health-care costs averted, and increased tax revenues. In the 12 Latin American countries analysed, we estimated that smoking is responsible for approximately 345 000 (12%) of the total 2 860 921 adult deaths, 2·21 million disease events, 8·77 million healthy years of life lost, and $26·9 billion in direct medical costs annually. Health-care costs attributable to smoking were estimated to represent 6·9% of the health budgets of these countries, equivalent to 0·6% of their gross domestic product. Tax revenues from cigarette sales cover 36·0% of the estimated health expenditures caused by smoking. We estimated that a 50% increase in cigarette price through taxation would avert more than 300 000 deaths, 1·3 million disease events, gain 9 million healthy life-years, and save $26·7 billion in health-care costs in the next 10 years, with a total economic benefit of $43·7 billion. Smoking represents a substantial health and economic burden in these 12 countries of Latin America. Tobacco tax increases could successfully avert deaths and disability, reduce health-care spending, and increase tax revenues, resulting in large net economic benefits. International Development Research Centre (IDRC), Canada.

The Clinical and Economic Burden of Norovirus Gastroenteritis in the United States.

Although norovirus outbreaks periodically make headlines, it is unclear how much attention norovirus may receive otherwise. A better understanding of the burden could help determine how to prioritize norovirus prevention and control. We developed a computational simulation model to quantify the clinical and economic burden of norovirus in the United States. A symptomatic case generated $48 in direct medical costs, $416 in productivity losses ($464 total). The median yearly cost of outbreaks was $7.6 million (range across years, $7.5-$8.2 million) in direct medical costs, and $165.3 million ($161.1-$176.4 million) in productivity losses ($173.5 million total). Sporadic illnesses in the community (incidence, 10-150/1000 population) resulted in 14 118-211 705 hospitalizations, 8.2-122.9 million missed school/work days, $0.2-$2.3 billion in direct medical costs, and $1.4-$20.7 billion in productivity losses ($1.5-$23.1 billion total). The total cost was $10.6 billion based on the current incidence estimate (68.9/1000). Our study quantified norovirus' burden. Of the total burden, sporadic cases constituted >90% (thus, annual burden may vary depending on incidence) and productivity losses represented 89%. More than half the economic burden is in adults ≥45, more than half occurs in winter months, and >90% of outbreak costs are due to person-to-person transmission, offering insights into where and when prevention/control efforts may yield returns.

What If the Influenza Vaccine Did Not Offer Such Variable Protection?

The protection that an influenza vaccine offers can vary significantly from person to person due to differences in immune systems, body types, and other factors. The question, then, is what is the value of efforts to reduce this variability such as making vaccines more personalized and tailored to individuals. We developed a compartment model of the United States to simulate different influenza seasons and the impact of reducing the variability in responses to the influenza vaccine across the population. Going from a vaccine that varied in efficacy (0-30%) to one that had a uniform 30% efficacy for everyone averted 16.0-31.2 million cases, $1.9-$3.6 billion in direct medical costs, and $16.1-$42.7 billion in productivity losses. Going from 0-50% in efficacy to just 50% for everyone averted 27.7-38.6 million cases, $3.3-$4.6 billion in direct medical costs, and $28.8-$57.4 billion in productivity losses. Going from 0-70% to 70% averted 33.6-54.1 million cases, $4.0-$6.5 billion in direct medical costs, and $44.8-$64.7 billion in productivity losses. This study quantifies for policy makers, funders, and vaccine developers and manufacturers the potential impact of efforts to reduce variability in the protection that influenza vaccines offer (eg, developing vaccines that are more personalized to different individual factors).

The Potential Health Care Costs And Resource Use Associated With COVID-19 In The United States.

With the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, one of the major concerns is the direct medical cost and resource use burden imposed on the US health care system. We developed a Monte Carlo simulation model that represented the US population and what could happen to each person who got infected. We estimated resource use and direct medical costs per symptomatic infection and at the national level, with various "attack rates" (infection rates), to understand the potential economic benefits of reducing the burden of the disease. A single symptomatic COVID-19 case could incur a median direct medical cost of $3,045 during the course of the infection alone. If 80percent of the US population were to get infected, the result could be a median of 44.6million hospitalizations, 10.7million intensive care unit (ICU) admissions, 6.5million patients requiring a ventilator, 249.5million hospital bed days, and $654.0billion in direct medical costs over the course of the pandemic. If 20percent of the US population were to get infected, there could be a median of 11.2million hospitalizations, 2.7million ICU admissions, 1.6million patients requiring a ventilator, 62.3million hospital bed days, and $163.4billion in direct medical costs over the course of the pandemic.

Use of a fall risk evaluation in a community-based pharmacy

BackgroundFalls in older adults are a serious public health concern. They increase health care expenditure and account for more than $30 billion in direct medical costs. Medication-related problems can contribute to fall risk, and community-based pharmacists are well positioned to intervene, given their role in monitoring ongoing medications. ObjectivesTo evaluate the integration of a fall risk screening assessment (i.e., Stopping Elderly Accidents, Deaths, and Injuries [STEADI]) into community pharmacy practice and to report on the targeted medication management interventions that pharmacists made for patients aged 50 years or older with a fall risk potential. Practice descriptionA service-oriented independent pharmacy in the Midwest United States that uses an in-house clinical software program to perform a prospective drug utilization review and document clinical interventions. Practice innovationA 3-item STEADI fall risk screening assessment was administered from October 15, 2018, to January 31, 2019, to 311 pharmacy patrons aged 50 years or older taking high-risk medications. EvaluationFor those with a positive screen for fall risk, the 12-item STEADI fall risk assessment was administered. A pharmacist performed a comprehensive medication review (CMR) for these patients. Education and medication recommendations were provided. ResultsFifty-three patients (17%) responded “Yes” to at least 1 prescreening question. The mean total STEADI fall risk score was 5.7 out of 12. The most commonly reported STEADI item was a worry regarding falling (75.5%) and sometimes feeling unsteady when walking (67.9%). Education regarding falls was provided to all the patients who received the study CMR, but only 6 medication changes were made to the prescribers, of which 4 were accepted. ConclusionThe STEADI assessment was useful in identifying patients who were potentially at a risk of falls. More work pertaining to deprescribing high-risk medications for at-risk patients seems to be needed.

Aggregate health and economic burden of herpes zoster in the United States: illustrative example of a pain condition.

Our objective was to develop comprehensive national estimates of the total burden of herpes zoster (HZ) among U.S. adults, including direct (ie, medical costs) and indirect (ie, productivity losses) costs, as well as its psychosocial impact (ie, quality of life losses). Using a patient-level microsimulation model, we projected health and economic outcomes among U.S. adults aged 18 years and older using a 10-year time horizon. We conducted a comprehensive systematic literature review to generate parameter values and conducted simulation modeling to generate our outcomes, including numbers of cases of uncomplicated HZ, postherpetic neuralgia (PHN), and ocular complications, productivity losses, and losses in quality-adjusted life years (QALYs). We used a societal perspective for outcomes; the costing year was 2015. Projected outcomes for an unvaccinated population included 1.1 million HZ cases, 114,000 PHN cases, and 43,000 ocular complications annually, resulting in approximately 67,000 QALYs lost. HZ and its complications would incur costs of $2.4 billion in direct medical costs and productivity losses annually. Projected QALY losses were most sensitive to HZ and PHN health utility values in the model. Cost estimates were most sensitive to the probability of HZ and to the costs per episode of PHN. The national burden of direct, indirect, and psychosocial HZ costs is substantial. Our results can inform economic analyses for HZ vaccines. Comprehensive, national assessments of the total burden of other painful conditions would be very informative.

433 Incidence, Admission Rates, and Economic Burden of Adult Emergency Visits for Esophageal Cancer: Data From the National Emergency Department Sample, 2006 to 2014

INTRODUCTION: Esophageal cancer accounts for 1% of cancers diagnosed in the United States and the seventh most common cause of cancer-related mortality among men in the United States, with a 5-year survival rate of 19%. With an estimated $1.5 billion in direct medical costs in 2010, we look at ED utilization by this group of patients and analyze the economic burden and trends in ED visits and inpatient admissions over a 9-year period METHODS: The Nationwide Emergency Department Sample (NEDS; 2006-2014) was interrogated to identify patients with a primary diagnosis of esophageal cancer (ICD-9 CM code). The yearly incidence of ED visits, rates of hospitalization, length of stay (LOS), and total charges associated with ED or subsequent inpatient stays were assessed. As secondary analysis, survey logistic regression model was used to determine predictors of hospitalization. RESULTS: A total of 46,431 esophageal cancer-related ED visits were identified during this time period. Overall, early readmission visits increased overall from 6,295 in 2006 to a peak of 6,837 in 2014. The mean ED charges per visit, adjusted to inflation increased significantly from $1,401 in 2006 to $3,168 in 2014, while the mean total charges incurred by patients who were admitted to the hospital also increased from $41,009 in 2006 to $61,809 in 2014. Hospitalization rates decreased from 83.5% in 2006 to 78.8% in 2014 but in-hospital deaths decreased from 11.4% in 2006 to 8.7% in 2014. The average LOS in the hospitals decreased from 7.8 to 7.2 days. CONCLUSION: Increasing ED visits and charges associated with esophageal cancer are concerning. While hospitalization rates are slightly decreased during this 9-year period, there is an alarming uptrend in mortality rates which needs to be explored further. The results of our study suggest that further exploring factors that are associated with the recent upsurge in mortality may lead to the development of interventions that will significantly reduce in-hospital deaths.

Economic burden of diabetes in Brazil in 2014

BackgroundDiabetes and its complications produce significant clinical, economic and social impact. The knowledge of the costs of diabetes generates subsidies to maintain the financial sustainability of public health and social security systems, guiding research and health care priorities.AimsThe aim of this study was to estimate the economic burden of diabetes in Brazilian adults in 2014, considering the perspectives of the public health care system and the society.MethodsA prevalence-based approach was used to estimate the annual health resource utilization and costs attributable to diabetes and related conditions. The healthcare system perspective considered direct medical costs related to outpatient and hospitalization costs. The societal perspective considered non-medical (transportation and dietary products) and indirect costs (productivity loss, disability, and premature retirement). Outpatient costs included medicines, health professional visits, exams, home glucose monitoring, ophthalmic procedures, and costs related to end stage renal disease. The costs of hospitalization attributed to diabetes related conditions were estimated using attributable risk methodology. Costs were estimated in Brazilian currency, and then converted to international dollars (2014).ResultsBased on a national self-reported prevalence of 6.2%, the total cost of diabetes in 2014 was Int$ 15.67 billion, including Int$ 6.89 billion in direct medical costs (44%), Int$ 3.69 billion in non-medical costs (23.6%) and Int$ 5.07 billion in indirect costs (32.4%). Outpatient costs summed Int$ 6.62 billion and the costs of 314,334 hospitalizations attributed to diabetes and related conditions was Int$ 264.9 million. Most hospitalizations were due to cardiovascular diseases (47.9%), followed by diabetes itself (18%), and renal diseases (13.6%). Diet and transportation costs were estimated at Int$ 3.2 billion and Int$ 462.3 million, respectively.ConclusionsOur results showed a substantial economic burden of diabetes in Brazil, and most likely are underrated as they are based on an underestimated prevalence of diabetes. Healthcare policies aiming at diabetes prevention and control are urgently sought.