Differences In Medical Expenditures Research Articles

Differences in Medical Expenditure According to Drug Prices

Differences in Medical Expenditure According to Drug Prices

Disease cases and their medical costs attributable to smoking: an analysis of the national medical expenditure survey

We estimate the fraction of disease cases, and the fraction of their total medical expenditures, attributable to smoking for two disease groups: (LC) lung and laryngeal cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, (CHD) cardiovascular disease, stroke and other smoking-caused cancers. We use a generalized additive model to predict the probability of disease; and a semi-parametric, two-part cost model to estimate the average difference in medical expenditures for persons with and without disease. We estimate that 53% and 13% of the medical expenditures for persons with LC or CHD are attributable to smoking.

Prepaid Group Practice Effects on the Utilization of Medical Services and Health Outcomes for Children: Results From a Controlled Trial

A total of 693 children between the ages of 0 and 13 years were randomly assigned to either a staff model HMO or to one of several fee-for-service insurance plans in Seattle to evaluate differences in medical expenditures and health outcomes. Although the fee-for-service plans varied the amount of cost sharing (0% to 95%), all children were covered for the same medical services, for either 3 or 5 years. No differences in imputed total expenditures were observed for children assigned to the HMO or any of the fee-for-service plans. Children with cost-sharing fee-for-service plans, however, had fewer medical contacts and received fewer preventive services than those assigned to the HMO. Nonetheless, children with the cost-sharing fee-for-service plans were perceived (by their mothers) to be in better health overall than those assigned to the HMO. No significant differences regarding physiological outcomes (eg, visual acuity, hemoglobin level) were observed between the two groups. The results of this experiment neither strongly support nor indict fee-for-service or prepaid care for children.