Difference In Average Cost Research Articles

Invasive urodynamic testing prior to surgical treatment for stress urinary incontinence in women: cost-effectiveness and value of information analyses in the context of a mixed methods feasibility study

BackgroundINVESTIGATE-I (INVasive Evaluation before Surgical Treatment of Incontinence Gives Added Therapeutic Effect?) was a mixed methods study to assess the feasibility of a future randomised controlled trial of invasive urodynamic testing (IUT) prior to surgery for stress urinary incontinence (SUI) in women. Here we report one of the study’s five components, with the specific objectives of (i) exploring the cost-effectiveness of IUT compared with clinical assessment plus non-invasive tests (henceforth described as ‘IUT’ and ‘no IUT’ respectively) in women with SUI or stress-predominant mixed urinary incontinence (MUI) prior to surgery, and (ii) determining the expected net gain (ENG) from additional research.MethodsStudy participants were women with SUI or stress-predominant MUI who had failed to respond to conservative treatments recruited from seven UK urogynaecology and female urology units. They were randomised to receive either ‘IUT’ or ‘no IUT’ before undergoing further treatment. Data from 218 women were used in the economic analysis. Cost utility, net benefit and value of information (VoI) analyses were performed within a randomised controlled pilot trial. Costs and quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) were estimated over 6 months to determine the incremental cost per QALY of ‘IUT’ compared to ‘no IUT’. Net monetary benefit informed the VoI analysis. The VoI estimated the ENG and optimal sample size for a future definitive trial.ResultsAt 6 months, the mean difference in total average cost was £138 (p = 0.071) in favour of ‘IUT’; there was no difference in QALYs estimated from the SF-12 (difference 0.004; p = 0.425) and EQ-5D-3L (difference − 0.004; p = 0.725); therefore, the probability of IUT being cost-effective remains uncertain. The estimated ENG was positive for further research to address this uncertainty with an optimal sample size of 404 women.ConclusionsThis is the largest economic evaluation of IUT. On average, up to 6 months after treatment, ‘IUT’ may be cost-saving compared to ‘no IUT’ because of the reduction in surgery following invasive investigation. However, uncertainty remains over the probability of ‘IUT’ being considered cost-effective, especially in the longer term. The VoI analysis indicated that further research would be of value.Trial registrationISRCTN. ISRCTN71327395. Registered 7 June 2010.

Aspiration Thrombectomy versus Conventional Catheter-Directed Thrombolysis as First-Line Treatment for Noniatrogenic Acute Lower Limb Ischemia

PurposeTo examine the efficacy, safety, and procedural costs of percutaneous aspiration thrombectomy (PAT) as a first-line treatment for noniatrogenic acute lower limb ischemia (ALI) compared with conventional catheter-directed thrombolysis (CDT). Materials and MethodsAll patients who underwent endovascular intervention for ALI from January 2015 to August 2017 were included. Fifteen patients were treated with the use of primary PAT and 27 patients were treated with the use of primary CDT. The primary end point was complete thrombus clearance with improvement in Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) score. Adjunctive treatment for thrombus removal was considered to indicate technical failure. Treatment of underlying chronic disease was not considered to indicate technical failure. Procedural costs for each patient were calculated by itemizing all disposable equipment, facility overheads, and staff costs. ResultsOf the 15 primary PAT patients, technical success was achieved in 8 (53%); the remaining 7 (47%) required adjunctive CDT. Of the 27 primary CDT patients, technical success was achieved in 25 (89%); the remaining 2 (11%) required adjunctive PAT. There were 4 complications in the primary PAT group: 2 were procedure related and of a minor grade. There were 8 complications in the primary CDT group: All were procedure-related, including 2 major groin/retroperitoneal hemorrhage and 1 death from intracranial hemorrhage. Limb salvage was attained in all patients. There were no significant differences in average procedural costs per patient between the 2 groups. ConclusionsFirst-line use of PAT for endovascular treatment of ALI can reduce the need for CDT, with no significant cost difference.

Estimating the health-care costs of children born to pregnant smokers in England: cohort study using primary and secondary health-care data.

Background and aimsLittle is known about the long‐term economic consequences of smoking during pregnancy. We estimated the association between smoking in pregnancy and the costs of delivering health‐care to infants and children in England, and investigated which aspects of care are the key drivers of these costs.MethodsWe used Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) linked with Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD) data in England from January 2003 to January 2015 in children with longitudinal data for at least 1, 5 and 10 years after birth. Poisson regression provided rate ratios (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) comparing health‐care episode rates between those exposed and not exposed to smoking during pregnancy. Linear regression was used to compare estimated costs between groups (£ sterling, 2015 prices) and generalized linear multivariable (GLM) models adjusted for potentially moderating factors.ResultsA total of 93 152 singleton pregnancies with the required data were identified. Maternal smoking in pregnancy was associated with higher primary care, prescription and hospital in‐patient episode rates, but lower out‐patient visit and diagnostic test rates. Adjusting for year of birth, socio‐economic deprivation, parity, sex of child and delivery method showed that maternal smoking in pregnancy was associated with increased child health‐care costs at 1 year [average cost difference for children of smokers, β = £91.18, 95% confidence interval (CI) = £47.52–134.83 and 5 years of age (β = £221.80, 95% CI = £17.78–425.83], but not at 10 years of age (β = £365.94, 95% CI = –£192.72 to £924.60).ConclusionIn England, maternal smoking in pregnancy is associated with increased child health‐care costs over the first 5 years of life; these costs are driven primarily by greater hospital in‐patient care.

Studying from Home? Do Private and Public Benefits Go Side by Side?

The objective of this paper is to compare the average annual and total cost of obtaining a university degree in three different universities: an Open and Distance Learning university serving lifelong learning purposes and two conventional universities in Greece. Our findings show substantial differences in average annual costs (per student) among these three universities with the Open and Distance Learning University (Hellenic Open University-HOU) having both the lowest annual average private and university cost. Consequently, HOU has the lowest average social cost. Moreover, comparing the total private cost for obtaining a university degree, the lowest cost is in the HOU despite its longer period of studies. This raises expectation to perspective students of HOU for higher rates of return after graduation. A similar pattern, also, holds for the social cost showing that HOU is socially cost effective. Clearly, our findings suggest that an Open and Distance Learning University that serves lifelong learning purposes is a cost effective investment in creating human capital privately and socially.

The cost determinants of routine infant immunization services: a meta-regression analysis of six country studies

BackgroundEvidence on immunization costs is a critical input for cost-effectiveness analysis and budgeting, and can describe variation in site-level efficiency. The Expanded Program on Immunization Costing and Financing (EPIC) Project represents the largest investigation of immunization delivery costs, collecting empirical data on routine infant immunization in Benin, Ghana, Honduras, Moldova, Uganda, and Zambia.MethodsWe developed a pooled dataset from individual EPIC country studies (316 sites). We regressed log total costs against explanatory variables describing service volume, quality, access, other site characteristics, and income level. We used Bayesian hierarchical regression models to combine data from different countries and account for the multi-stage sample design. We calculated output elasticity as the percentage increase in outputs (service volume) for a 1% increase in inputs (total costs), averaged across the sample in each country, and reported first differences to describe the impact of other predictors. We estimated average and total cost curves for each country as a function of service volume.ResultsAcross countries, average costs per dose ranged from $2.75 to $13.63. Average costs per child receiving diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis ranged from $27 to $139. Within countries costs per dose varied widely—on average, sites in the highest quintile were 440% more expensive than those in the lowest quintile. In each country, higher service volume was strongly associated with lower average costs. A doubling of service volume was associated with a 19% (95% interval, 4.0–32) reduction in costs per dose delivered, (range 13% to 32% across countries), and the largest 20% of sites in each country realized costs per dose that were on average 61% lower than those for the smallest 20% of sites, controlling for other factors. Other factors associated with higher costs included hospital status, provision of outreach services, share of effort to management, level of staff training/seniority, distance to vaccine collection, additional days open per week, greater vaccination schedule completion, and per capita gross domestic product.ConclusionsWe identified multiple features of sites and their operating environment that were associated with differences in average unit costs, with service volume being the most influential. These findings can inform efforts to improve the efficiency of service delivery and better understand resource needs.

Healthcare costs of transarterial chemoembolization in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma.

BackgroundA meta-analysis comparing drug-eluting beads transarterial chemoembolization (DEB-TACE) with conventional transarterial chemoembolization (cTACE) has recently been published. On balance, no significant differences were found in terms of objective response and overall survival. The impact on healthcare costs had been studied in small series based on a hypothetical model and was in favor of DEB-TACE. We aimed to evaluate and compare health-care costs and effectiveness of both modalities in a cohort of patients from Nottingham, UK.MethodsUsing a dedicated radiology database, we identified all patients who had undergone cTACE or DEB-TACE between 2006 and 2012 at a single tertiary referral center based in Nottingham. We collected clinical data, including treatment response, postprocedure complications and 30-day mortality. Costing models were constructed to present both our local hospital perspective as well as the national health service position.ResultsDuring our study period, 101 procedures were performed on 43 patients (76 cTACE procedures on 26 patients and 25 DEB-TACE procedures on 17 patients). Overall, 11/26 in cTACE and 5/17 in DEB-TACE group had progressive disease (p=0.52). Adverse events were seen in 6/76 cTACE compared with 7/25 DEB-TACE group (p=0.16). Based on the predetermined standard pathway there was an unadjusted average cost difference of £3770.30 (TACE =£9070.44, DEB-TACE =£5300.14) in favor of the DEB-TACE. Results from our costing models indicated a £2715.33 (95% CI £580.88–4849.77) cost difference in favor of the same procedure.ConclusionsEven when the extra costs of DEB-TACE were considered, the overall treatment costs per patient were lower in relation to cTACE.

Outcomes of head and neck cancer surgery in the geriatric population based on case volume at academic centers.

Evaluate the impact of case volume and other variables on cost and mortality after head and neck oncologic surgery in the geriatric population. Cross-sectional study. The Vizient database was accessed for data on geriatric patients (age ≥65 years) who underwent surgery for head and neck cancers (excluding thyroid and skin cancer) at full member academic medical centers between 2009 and 2012. Multivariate, linear regression analyses, χ2 tests, and analysis of variance were applied to evaluate significant associations between hospital case volume and independent variables including cost, cost index, mortality, mortality index, length of stay, length of stay index, and readmission rates. A total of 4,544 patients were included. Total length of stay was 6.72 days in high-volume hospitals, compared to 8.12 days and 7.91 days in moderate- and low-volume hospitals, respectively (P = .0144). Frequency of intensive care unit stays was 36.5% in high-volume hospitals, compared to 42.19% and 40.29% in moderate- and low-volume hospitals, respectively (P = .0048). Mortality (0.78%) and average cost per case ($21,834) was lower, but nonsignificant in high-volume hospitals. Using multiple regression analysis, major severity of disease was positively associated with complication rate (P < .0001) and length of stay (P = .0481). After controlling for other factors, high-volume academic medical centers have a lower intensive care unit stay, but no difference in mortality or average cost per case when compared to low-volume hospitals. 2b. Laryngoscope, 127:2539-2544, 2017.

Costs and Perioperative Outcomes Associated with Open versus Endoscopic Resection of Sinonasal Malignancies with Skull Base Involvement.

Objective To compare financial and perioperative outcomes between endoscopic and open surgical approaches in the surgical management of sinonasal malignancies. Design Retrospective chart review. Setting Tertiary care hospital. Participants Patients undergoing surgical resection of a sinonasal malignancy from January 2000 to December 2014. Main Outcome Measures In-hospital costs, complications, and length of stay (LOS). Results Of 106 patients, 91 received open surgery (19 free flap and 72 non-free flap) and 15 were treated with purely endoscopic approaches. Free flaps had a significantly higher average cost, operative time, and LOS compared to both non-free flap ( p < 0.001, < 0.001, and < 0.01) and endoscopic ( p = 0.01, 0.04, and < 0.01) groups. There were no significant differences in average costs between endoscopic and non-free flap groups ($19,157 vs. $14,806, p = 0.20) or LOS (5.7 vs. 6.4 days, p = 0.72). Compared with the non-free flap group, the endoscopic group had a longer average operative time (8.3 vs. 5.5 hours, p < 0.01) and higher rates of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak (13 vs. 0%, p = 0.01) and intensive care unit (ICU) admission (80 vs. 36%, p < 0.01). Surgical approach (open vs. endoscopic) was not a significant predictor of any financial or perioperative outcome on multivariable analysis. Conclusion Hospital costs are comparable between endoscopic and open approaches when no free tissue reconstruction is required. Longer operative times, higher CSF leak rates, and our institutional protocol necessitating ICU admission for endoscopic cases may account for the failure to demonstrate cost savings with endoscopic surgery.

Cost Implications of Primary Versus Revision Surgery in Adult Spinal Deformity

Adult spinal deformity (ASD) is an important problem to consider in the elderly. Although studies have examined the complications of ASD surgery and have compared functional and radiographic results of primary surgery versus revision, no studies have compared the costs of primary procedures with revisions. We assessed the in-hospital costs of these 2 surgery types in patients with ASD. The PearlDiver Database, a database of Medicare records, was used in this study. Mutually exclusive groups of patients undergoing primary or revision surgery were identified. Patients in each group were queried for age, sex, and comorbidities. Thirty-day readmission rates, 30-day and 90-day complication rates, and postoperative costs of care were assessed with multivariate analysis. For analyses, significance was set at P < 0.001. The average reimbursement of the primary surgery cohort was $57,078 ± $30,767. Reimbursement of revision surgery cohort was $52,999 ± $27,658. The adjusted difference in average costs between the 2 groups is $4773 ± $1069 (P < 0.001). The 30-day and 90-day adjusted difference in cost of care when sustaining any of the major medical complications in primary surgery versus revision surgery was insignificant. Patients undergoing primary and revision corrective procedures for ASD have similar readmission rates, lengths of stays, and complication rates. Our data showed a higher cost of primary surgery compared with revision surgery, although costs of sustaining postoperative complications were similar. This finding supports the decision to perform revision procedures in patients with ASD when indicated because neither outcomes nor costs are a hindrance to correction.

Impact of an open enrollment service on costs for Medicare Part D beneficiaries

ObjectiveThe primary objective was to determine total estimated cost savings based on a patient’s current medication regimen after comparing available Medicare Part D plans for the upcoming year by using a plan comparison platform. The secondary objective was to determine patient-centered concerns when considering a change in Part D plans. DesignReview of an open enrollment service that included a patient survey and a Part D plan comparison. SettingThis study took place at a single independent community pharmacy in northwest Alabama. ParticipantsFifty-four patients eligible for Medicare Part D were included in this study. Main outcome measuresThe study was a review of an open enrollment service that aids Medicare beneficiaries in selecting a Part D plan that best fits their needs. It included a patient survey and plan comparison using a plan comparison platform, during the 2015 Medicare open enrollment period (October 15 to December 7). The survey assessed patient demographics, pharmacy preferences, and cost concerns. Survey data were used to aid in plan selection and analysis to determine the most common patient-centered concerns when considering a change in plans. ResultsDuring the open enrollment period, 54 patients compared Medicare Part D plans. The majority of participants were female (57%) and ranged in age from 65-69 years (37%) to 70-74 years (25.9%). The majority of patients reported a preference for independent pharmacies (92.6%). Deductible (40.7%) was the biggest concern for patients when comparing the main cost variables for medication insurance. The average total cost difference per patient per year showed that each patient saved an average of $1166.46. ConclusionThe analysis of an independent pharmacy’s open enrollment service determined that a plan comparison platform is a valuable tool in helping patients to compare and select cost-effective Medicare Part D prescription plans and in helping patients save money.

Strategies for reduction in the duration of intravenous drug use: Interest of drug tracers as quality indicators to improve intravenous to oral switch.

Intravenous (IV) to oral (PO) drug switch is a challenge for tertiary care institutions for several reasons: catheter-related infections, patient's pain and discomfort or higher costs, and overuse of IV drugs considered as an irrational use of medicines. The objective was to evaluate yearly acetaminophen and proton-pump inhibiters' (PPIs) IV/PO ratios from 2011 to 2015 and to determine their correlation with all drugs IV/PO ratios and their relevance as drug tracers. A secondary objective was to estimate costs savings associated with a IV to PO switch improvement. Data on IV and PO consumptions and impact on costs were presented to physicians yearly, followed by the development of a computerized tool and pharmaceutical validation of prescriptions. Intravenous and PO drug consumptions were extracted yearly for all drugs, acetaminophen, and PPIs from 2011-01-01 to 2015-12-31. Acetaminophen and PPIs' IV/PO ratios were compared to IV/PO consumptions for all drugs. Costs savings associated with this switch were calculated yearly by multiplying the difference in average cost per dose by the total number of doses delivered (fixed purchase prices, euros) for both routes. All drugs IV/PO ratio decreased every year to achieve a 16.3% reduction between 2011 and 2015. Acetaminophen and PPIs also decreased respectively by 35.5% and 16.5%. Same tendency of decrease of ratios year by year was noted for all drugs, PPIs, and acetaminophen. Savings for both acetaminophen and PPIs IV/PO switch were over 98000€ for 5years. This study demonstrated that acetaminophen IV/PO ratio, easily produced in routine, was a relevant tracer to follow IV/PO switch improvement as it was correlated with all drugs IV/PO ratio. Direct cost savings associated with IV/PO switch improvements were consequent and illustrate well the impact of our approach on the efficiency of therapeutics' management.

Erratum to: Advanced Practice Pharmacists: a retrospective evaluation of the efficacy and cost of ClinicaL Pharmacist PractitionErs managing ambulatory Medicare patients in North Carolina (APPLE-NC).

Clinical Pharmacist Practitioners are advanced practicing pharmacists in North Carolina that provide disease-specific management. The purpose of this retrospective cohort study was to compare the efficacy and charges from referrals to a Clinical Pharmacist Practitioner by the primary care provider, to those managed by a primary care provider alone. Patients were separated into cohorts depending if they had at least two appointments with a Clinical Pharmacist Practitioner from November 2008 to November 2011. A primary care provider saw all patients at least twice during the study period. Cohorts were then matched by age, gender, and disease states. Medicare billed data was evaluated from outpatient visits related to hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and peripheral neuropathy, as well as emergency department visits and inpatient admissions. Cost of medications was estimated using 2009 AWP data corresponding to medication histories within the electronic medical record. Efficacy was defined as ability to reach disease state goal determined using national guidelines and reduction in pain score. Efficacy was analyzed by difference-in-differences test and all other numerical data tested by paired t-tests. The Clinical Pharmacist Practitioners cohort experienced more outpatient visits (1338 vs. 858, p 0.05) than the primary care providers cohort, respectively. The Clinical Pharmacist Practitioners cohort showed changes in charges of +22.6 % for outpatient visits, −45.5 % emergency department visits, and −13.2 % inpatient admissions relative to the primary care provider cohort. There was no difference in average daily medication cost (Clinical Pharmacist Practitioners $38.52 vs. primary care providers $38.23, p = 0.97) or achievement of disease state goals. APPLE-NC demonstrated that through referrals, Clinical Pharmacist Practitioners provide services comparable in charges and efficacy to primary care providers. Consequently, the current increased need for primary care practitioners can be met in part by increasing the utilization of advanced practice pharmacists for chronic disease management. This does not apply for this retrospective cohort study.

Choosing Wisely: Opportunities for Improving Value in Cancer Care Delivery?

Patients, providers, and payers are striving to identify where value in cancer care can be increased. As part of the Choosing Wisely (CW) campaign, ASCO and the American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology have recommended against specific, yet commonly performed, treatments and procedures. We conducted a retrospective analysis of Medicare claims data to examine concordance with CW recommendations across 12 cancer centers in the southeastern United States. Variability for each measure was evaluated on the basis of patient characteristics and site of care. Hierarchical linear modeling was used to examine differences in average costs per patient by concordance status. Potential cost savings were estimated on the basis of a potential 95% adherence rate and average cost difference. The analysis included 37,686 patients with cancer with Fee-for-Service Medicare insurance. Concordance varied by CW recommendation from 39% to 94%. Patient characteristics were similar for patients receiving concordant and nonconcordant care. Significant variability was noted across centers for all recommendations, with as much as an 89% difference. Nonconcordance was associated with higher costs for every measure. If concordance were to increase to 95% for all measures, we would estimate a $19 million difference in total cost of care per quarter. These results demonstrate ample room for reduction of low-value care and corresponding costs associated with the CW recommendations. Because variability in concordance was driven primarily by site of care, rather than by patient factors, continued education about these low-value services is needed to improve the value of cancer care.

Advanced Practice Pharmacists: a retrospective evaluation of the efficacy and cost of ClinicaL Pharmacist PractitionErs managing ambulatory Medicare patients in North Carolina (APPLE-NC).

BackgroundClinical Pharmacist Practitioners are advanced practicing pharmacists in North Carolina that provide disease-specific management. The purpose of this retrospective cohort study was to compare the efficacy and charges from referrals to a Clinical Pharmacist Practitioner by the primary care provider, to those managed by a primary care provider alone.MethodsPatients were separated into cohorts depending if they had at least two appointments with a Clinical Pharmacist Practitioner from November 2008 to November 2011. A primary care provider saw all patients at least twice during the study period. Cohorts were then matched by age, gender, and disease states. Medicare billed data was evaluated from outpatient visits related to hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and peripheral neuropathy, as well as emergency department visits and inpatient admissions. Cost of medications was estimated using 2009 AWP data corresponding to medication histories within the electronic medical record. Efficacy was defined as ability to reach disease state goal determined using national guidelines and reduction in pain score. Efficacy was analyzed by difference-in-differences test and all other numerical data tested by paired t-tests.ResultsThe Clinical Pharmacist Practitioners cohort experienced more outpatient visits (1338 vs. 858, p < 0.001), fewer emergency department visits (115 vs. 190, p < 0.05), and similar inpatient admissions (88 vs. 117, p > 0.05) than the primary care providers cohort, respectively. The Clinical Pharmacist Practitioners cohort showed changes in charges of +22.6 % for outpatient visits, −45.5 % emergency department visits, and −13.2 % inpatient admissions relative to the primary care provider cohort. There was no difference in average daily medication cost (Clinical Pharmacist Practitioners $38.52 vs. primary care providers $38.23, p = 0.97) or achievement of disease state goals.ConclusionAPPLE-NC demonstrated that through referrals, Clinical Pharmacist Practitioners provide services comparable in charges and efficacy to primary care providers. Consequently, the current increased need for primary care practitioners can be met in part by increasing the utilization of advanced practice pharmacists for chronic disease management.Trial registrationThis does not apply for this retrospective cohort study.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12913-016-1851-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Cost Averted With Timely Fecal Microbiota Transplantation in the Management of Recurrent Clostridium difficile Infection in Alberta, Canada.

Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) is highly effective in treating recurrent Clostridium difficile infection (RCDI). However, the ideal timing for offering FMT remains to be determined. Furthermore, the direct medical costs averted with timely FMT have not been examined. A retrospective review of the Edmonton FMT program database included patients who received FMT for RCDI (October 2012 to September 2014). They were divided into 2 groups: those who received FMT after 2 recurrences (the timely FMT group) and those who received FMT after at least 3 recurrences (the delayed FMT group). The primary outcome was the difference in direct medical costs related to hospital admissions and emergency room visits due to CDI between the 2 groups. The secondary outcomes were RCDI cure rate and duration of RCDI in each group. A total of 75 patients were included: 30 received timely FMT, whereas 45 received delayed FMT. The mean difference in hospital length of stay and emergency room visits related to CDI were 13.8 days shorter and 1.3 visits fewer with timely FMT, associated with a mean cost saving of $29,842 per patient. Sensitivity analysis was performed to examine the effect of outliers and comorbities on the differential costs, and it was found that the differences in average cost per patient were more pronounced in those with Charlson comorbidity index ≥3 compared with those with scores of 0 to 2. The cure rate was 94% (timely FMT group) and 93% (delayed FMT group). The mean duration of RCDI was 109 days (timely FMT group) and 281 days (delayed FMT group). Timely FMT can provide significant cost savings to health-care systems, especially for patients with multiple comorbidities.

Health care utilisation and costs in the general population in Germany

AimTo elicit reference values of medical and non-medical health care utilisation and costs in Germany from a societal perspective. Methods5007 telephone interviews were conducted in a representative sample of the German-speaking population above the age of 18. Participants were asked about medical and non-medical health care utilisation over the preceding six months. Participants were also asked about medical conditions, lifestyle, sociodemographic characteristics, employment status and sick leave. Resource utilisation was valued monetarily and analysed by means of descriptive and econometric tools (generalised linear models/two-part models). To obtain representative results, we weighted observations according to age, gender, education and state of residence. Results95% of the respondents had at least one contact with an outpatient physician. 12% of the respondents were hospitalised and 3% received rehabilitative care. Direct costs per respondent were €1475 on average. The mean cost of physician visits was €278. We found differences in average costs for physician visits between men (€232) and women (€321). Indirect costs were €1554 on average per full-time employee. Multivariate analysis showed significant associations between direct costs and morbidity, age and gender. Indirect costs appeared to be significantly associated with morbidity and age, but not with gender. ConclusionOur reference values can be regarded as representative reference values for health care utilisation and costs, and can be used for the calculation of disease-specific excess costs.

Switching insurer in the Irish voluntary health insurance market: determinants, incentives, and risk equalization.

The determinants of consumer mobility in voluntary health insurance markets providing duplicate cover are not well understood. Consumer mobility can have important implications for competition. Consumers should be price-responsive and be willing to switch insurer in search of the best-value products. Moreover, although theory suggests low-risk consumers are more likely to switch insurer, this process should not be driven by insurers looking to attract low risks. This study utilizes data on 320,830 VHI healthcare policies due for renewal between August 2013 and June 2014. At the time of renewal, policyholders were categorized as either 'switchers' or 'stayers', and policy information was collected for the prior 12months. Differences between these groups were assessed by means of logistic regression. The ability of Ireland's risk equalization scheme to account for the relative attractiveness of switchers was also examined. Policyholders were price sensitive (OR 1.052, p<0.01), however, price-sensitivity declined with age. Age (OR 0.971; p<0.01) and hospital utilization (OR 0.977; p<0.01) were both negatively associated with switching. In line with these findings, switchers were less costly than stayers for the 12months prior to the switch/renew decision for single person (difference in average cost=€540.64) and multiple-person policies (difference in average cost=€450.74). Some cost differences remain for single-person policies following risk equalization (difference in average cost=€88.12). Consumers appear price-responsive, which is important for competition provided it is based on correct incentives. Risk equalization payments largely eliminated the profitable status of switchers, although further refinements may be required.

The Cost of a Healthier Diet for Young Children With Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus

ObjectiveThis study used a market-basket approach to examine the availability and cost of a standard food shopping list (R-TFP) vs a healthier food shopping list (H-TFP) in the grocery stores used by a sample of 23 families of young children with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM). MethodsThe researchers used frequency counts to measure availability. The average cost of the R-TFP and H-TFP was compared using paired t test. ResultsSmall or independent markets had the highest percentage of missing foods (14%), followed by chain supermarkets (3%) and big box stores (2%). There was a significant difference in average cost for the R-TFP vs the H-TFP ($324.71 and $380.07, respectively; P < .001). Conclusions and ImplicationsFamilies may encounter problems finding healthier foods and/or incur greater costs for healthier foods. Nutrition education programs for T1DM need to teach problem solving to help families overcome these barriers.

Financial Analysis of CYP2C19 Genotyping in Patients Receiving Dual Antiplatelet Therapy Following Acute Coronary Syndrome and Percutaneous Coronary Intervention.

Dual antiplatelet therapy is an established standard of care for patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) to reduce thrombotic risk. Reduced CYP2C19 activity impairs clopidogrel bio-activation and increases risk of adverse clinical outcomes. Patients with poor and intermediate CYP2C19 metabolizers treated with clopidogrel incur higher cardiovascular event rates, including myocardial infarction, stroke, and stent thrombosis, following ACS than patients with normal CYP2C19 function. Tests are available to identify the CYP2C19 genotype and can be used to support individualization of antiplatelet therapy. To estimate the financial impact of CYP2C19 genotyping in a theoretical cohort of 1,000 patients with ACS, who received percutaneous coronary intervention and coronary stent implantation and were treated with clopidogrel, prasugrel, or ticagrelor in a managed care setting. Differences in overall and average cost per patient were estimated based on the rate of CYP2C19 genotyping in a theoretical cohort of 1,000 patients. Sensitivity analysis was carried out for varying costs, adherence, and the percentage of patients treated according to genotyping results. All clinical event costs were reported in terms of 2012 U.S. dollars. The budget impact analysis used published event rates from primary literature to estimate costs of events analysis for 3 different scenarios: Scenario A, no CYP2C19 genotyping; Scenario B, 50% of patients received CYP2C19 genotyping with appropriate treatment based on genotype; and Scenario C, 100% of patients received CYP2C19 genotyping with appropriate treatment based on genotype. According to this model, there was no change in the market share for the 3 antiplatelet agents in Scenario A. Initial market share for clopidogrel, prasugrel, and ticagrelor was 93%, 5%, and 2%, respectively; however, use of CYP2C19 genotyping is expected to shift market share from clopidogrel to either prasugrel or ticagrelor. In Scenario B, where 50% of the patients received genotyping, clopidogrel market share was reduced to 83%, while prasugrel increased to 12.1% and ticagrelor increased to 4.9%. In Scenario C, where all patients received genotyping, clopidogrel market share was reduced to 73%, prasugrel increased to 19.3%, and ticagrelor increased to 7.7%. Total estimated cost differences when all possible patients were genotyped included annual savings of roughly $444,852. Important financial benefits may be realized through use of genotype-guided antiplatelet therapy to reserve prasugrel or ticagrelor use for patients with reduced CYP2C19 activity to avoid costs associated with adverse cardiac events.

Treatment cost of non-small cell lung cancer in three European countries: comparisons across France, Germany, and England using administrative databases

Introduction:Lung cancer is a highly prevalent condition with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), representing ∼ 80%. Given its high prevalence and poor survival rates, it is important to understand costs associated with NSCLC treatment.Objectives:To carry out an incidence-based study in three European countries: France, Germany, and the UK, to estimate the cost of NSCLC treatment.Methods:Three similar administrative databases were accessed; Hospital Episode Statistics (England), Gesundheitsforen Leipzig (Germany), French Hospital Discharge system (France), using ICD-9/10 codes and treatment/surgery algorithms to identify NSCLC patients. An incidence population of NSCLC patients was obtained using an index year (ranging from 2007–2008), ensuring the absence of prior lung cancer (12-months). Data were extracted on treatment information, patient characteristics, and disease staging. Average NSCLC treatment costs were estimated by age and severity. For England, 20,081 patients were identified, for France, 15,061, and for Germany, 1038.Results:In-patient length of stay was 8.9, 8.7, and 10.1 days for France, England, and Germany, respectively, for the first year. Average total costs for the 2-year follow-up period for France, England, and Germany were €25,063, €17,777, and €32,500, respectively. Sub-group analyses showed higher costs for younger patients and those with metastatic disease.Conclusion:Considerable differences in average treatment costs were observed. In-patient costs dominate in the first year of treatment in all countries. The study highlights the costly nature of NSCLC.