A retrospective study of patients' out-of-pocket costs for granulocyte colony-stimulating factors.

OBJECTIVE: With rising healthcare costs, there is an increasing concern with the burden of out-of-pocket costs on cancer patients. This study examined patients' out-of-pocket expenditures for granulocyte colony-stimulating factors, pegfilgrastim and filgrastim, which are given to cancer patients receiving myelosuppressive chemotherapy and have been shown to decrease the incidence of febrile neutropenia. METHODS: Adult patients who received chemotherapy and granulocyte colony-stimulating factors in the outpatient setting in the United States between January 2007 and June 2010 were evaluated using medical and pharmacy claims data from two healthcare data sources, the MarketScan(®) Commercial and Medicare Supplemental Databases and the HealthCore Integrated Research Database(SM). The distribution of out-of-pocket costs for granulocyte colony-stimulating factors per patient and per administration was described for each quarter. Longitudinal analyses of out-of-pocket costs for granulocyte colony-stimulating factors were also performed for patients with continuous health plan eligibility during each calendar year from 2007 to 2009. RESULTS: The pattern of out-of-pocket expenditures for pegfilgrastim and filgrastim was generally consistent between the databases and over time. On average, about 65%-75% of patients had zero quarterly out-of-pocket costs for granulocyte colony-stimulating factors. Across the years, the mean quarterly out-of-pocket costs per patient were $100-$150 and $50-$80 for pegfilgrastim and filgrastim, respectively. The mean quarterly out-of-pocket costs for granulocyte colony-stimulating factors per administration were $40-$70 and $8-$10, respectively. CONCLUSION: In this retrospective analysis of medical and pharmacy claims data, most patients who received chemotherapy and granulocyte colony-stimulating factors in 2007 to 2010 had incurred no quarterly out-of-pocket costs associated with G-CSF use.

Systematic review on infusion reactions associated with chemotherapies and monoclonal antibodies for metastatic colorectal cancer.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this systematic review is to summarize the literature to date on the rates of infusion reactions (IR) associated with chemotherapies and monoclonal antibody (mAb) drug therapies used for the treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) and the associated clinical and economic impact. METHODS: This study searched Medline, Medline (R) In-Process, Embase and Cochrane Library databases for studies on IRs associated with chemotherapy and mAbs in mCRC patients from 2000-2011. RESULTS: For chemotherapy, the incidence of IRs ranged from 0-71% for all grades and 0-15% for grade 3-4. Rates of all grade IRs associated with cetuximab ranged from 7.6-33% and grade 3-4 IR rates were 0-22%. Rates of all grade IRs associated with panitumumab ranged from 0-4% and rates of grade 3-4 IRs ranged from 0-1%. The overall rate of IRs associated with bevacizumab ranged from 1.6-11%, with a rate of 0-4% for grade 3-4 IRs. A range of 50-100% of patients with grade 3-4 IRs terminated chemotherapy, and 34-100% of cetuximab patients with grade 3-4 IRs discontinued cetuximab therapy. No data were reported for bevacizumab or panitumumab. Only one study evaluated the economic impact of IRs. The study compared cetuximab administrations without an IR to those with an IR requiring resource utilization and found that mean costs were $9308 and $1725 higher for those with an IR requiring an emergency room visit or hospitalization and for those with an IR requiring outpatient treatment, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of IRs varies among different mAbs; and IRs may cause treatment disruption and require costly medical interventions.

The impact of methodological approach on cost findings in comparison of epoetin alfa with darbepoetin alfa.

BACKGROUND: Two erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs), epoetin alfa and darbepoetin alfa, are approved for the treatment of chemotherapy-induced anemia in patients with cancer. Randomized controlled trials indicate that the drugs are similarly efficacious, but that the duration of clinical benefit (DCB) ranges from 2 to 7 days for epoetin alfa and from 7 to 21 days for darbepoetin alfa, depending on dose. Given equivalent efficacy, payers are increasingly interested in understanding the cost differences for these 2 drugs. OBJECTIVE: To examine the impact of different methodological approaches on the cost comparison between epoetin alfa and darbepoetin alfa users, with cancer from a payer perspective. METHODS: Episodes of care (episode) were constructed for cancer patients treated with ESAs, using MarketScan claims data. Episodes started with the first ESA claim and ended on the last ESA claim or the claim before a 42-day or longer gap in ESA therapy. Each episode was augmented with an estimated DCB based on the last dose in the episode. Cost was reimbursed amount observed in the claims database. Adjusted weekly cost was estimated using generalized linear models to control for difference in clinical and demographic differences across epoetin alfa and darbepoetin alfa episodes. RESULTS: Episodes were created in 324 darbepoetin alfa and 342 epoetin alfa users. Darbepoetin alfa users tended to be younger, had more comorbidities, and had advanced cancer (all p < 0.001). After accounting for DCB, the average weekly cost of darbepoetin alfa was significantly lower than that of epoetin alfa ($619 vs $940; p < 0.001). After multivariate adjustment, darbepoetin alfa had lower costs than epoetin alfa in the base case and all alternative approaches. CONCLUSIONS: To reduce the risk of potential bias, DCB and different patient characteristics should be taken into account when using retrospective claims data to conduct cost comparisons between agents that have significant differences in dosing schedule.

Treatment of nonmuscle invading bladder cancer: do physicians in the United States practice evidence based medicine? The use and economic implications of intravesical chemotherapy after transurethral resection of bladder tumors.

BACKGROUND: Phase 3 clinical trials performed primarily outside the US demonstrate that intravesical instillation of chemotherapy immediately after transurethral resection of the bladder (TURB) decreases cancer recurrence rates. The authors sought to determine whether US urologists have adopted this practice, and its potential effect on costs of bladder cancer (BC) care. METHODS: By using 1997-2004 MEDSTAT claims data, the authors identified patients with newly diagnosed BC who underwent cystoscopic biopsy or TURB, and those who received intravesical chemotherapy within 1 day after TURB. Economic consequences of this treatment compared with TURB alone were modeled using published efficacy estimates and Medicare reimbursements. The authors used a time horizon of 3 years and assumed that this treatment was given for all newly diagnosed low-risk BC patients. RESULTS: Between 1997 and 2004, the authors identified 16,748 patients with newly diagnosed BC, of whom 14,677 underwent cystoscopic biopsy or TURB. Of these, only 49 (0.33%) received same-day intravesical instillation of chemotherapy. From 1997 through 2004, there has been little change in the use of this treatment. The authors estimated a 3-year savings of $538 to $690 (10% to 12%) per patient treated with TURB and immediate intravesical chemotherapy compared with TURB alone, reflecting a yearly national savings of $19.8 to $24.8 million. CONCLUSIONS: Instillation of intravesical chemotherapy immediately after TURB has not been embraced in the US. Adopting this policy would significantly lower the cost of BC care.

Characteristics of patients initiating raloxifene compared to those initiating bisphosphonates.

BACKGROUND: Both raloxifene and bisphosphonates are indicated for the prevention and treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis, however these medications have different efficacy and safety profiles. It is plausible that physicians would prescribe these agents to optimize the benefit/risk profile for individual patients. The objective of this study was to compare demographic and clinical characteristics of patients initiating raloxifene with those of patients initiating bisphosphonates for the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis. METHODS: This study was conducted using a retrospective cohort design. Female beneficiaries (45 years and older) with at least one claim for raloxifene or a bisphosphonate in 2003 through 2005 and continuous enrollment in the previous 12 months and subsequent 6 months were identified using a collection of large national commercial, Medicare supplemental, and Medicaid administrative claims databases (MarketScan). Patients were divided into two cohorts, a combined commercial/Medicare cohort and a Medicaid cohort. Within each cohort, characteristics (demographic, clinical, and resource utilization) of patients initiating raloxifene were compared to those of patients initiating bisphosphonate therapy. Group comparisons were made using chi-square tests for proportions of categorical measures and Wilcoxon rank-sum tests for continuous variables. Logistic regression was used to simultaneously examine factors independently associated with initiation of raloxifene versus a bisphosphonate. RESULTS: Within both the commercial/Medicare and Medicaid cohorts, raloxifene patients were younger, had fewer comorbid conditions, and fewer pre-existing fractures than bisphosphonate patients. Raloxifene patients in both cohorts were less likely to have had a bone mineral density (BMD) screening in the previous year than were bisphosphonate patients, and were also more likely to have used estrogen or estrogen/progestin therapy in the previous 12 months. These differences remained statistically significant in the multivariate model. CONCLUSION: In this sample of patients enrolled in commercial, Medicare, and Medicaid plans, patients who initiated raloxifene treatment differed from those initiating bisphosphonates. Raloxifene patients were younger, had better overall health status and appeared to be less likely to have risk factors for new osteoporotic fractures than bisphosphonate patients. Differences in the clinical profiles of these agents may impact prescribing decisions. Investigators using observational data to make comparisons of treatment outcomes associated with these medications should take these important differences in patient characteristics into consideration.

Identifying patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia through a diagnosis of, or treatment for, erectile dysfunction.

OBJECTIVE: Erectile dysfunction (ED) and lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) associated with benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH) are highly correlated. This study examined rates of screening, diagnosis, and treatment of BPH/LUTS among men seeking care for ED. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: This was a retrospective US claims data analysis (1999-2004) evaluating men > or = 40 years old with a new diagnosis of or prescription medication for ED. Multivariate analyses were used to examine times to screening, diagnosis, and treatment. RESULTS: 81 659 men with ED were identified (mean age 57 years). The baseline prevalence of recorded BPH was 1.5%. During the follow-up period (mean 2.2 years), 7.6% had documented BPH. Time to screening was shorter among patients seeing urologists (121.1 days) compared with those seeing primary-care physicians (282.2 days). Controlling for demographic and clinical characteristics, patients who saw a urologist were more likely to be screened (OR: 2.4, p < 0.0001), diagnosed with BPH (OR: 1.8, p < 0.0001), and treated (OR: 1.3, p < 0.0001), relative to patients seeing other providers. Men aged 75 and over were 43% less likely to be screened (p < 0.0001), but 5.4 times more likely to be diagnosed with BPH (p < 0.0001) and 5.3 times more likely to be treated (p < 0.0001) compared with men aged 40-49. CONCLUSIONS: Screening for BPH appears less likely for men with ED who do not see a urologist. When screening does occur, it takes much longer with non-specialty providers. Patient age and provider specialty are key factors associated with screening, diagnosis, and treatment of BPH among men with ED.

Assessment of the clinical management of fragility fractures and implications for the new HEDIS osteoporosis measure.

BACKGROUND: Rates of screening for and treatment of osteoporosis have been low, even among those with fractures who are at greatest risk for new fractures. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to examine trends in the clinical management of patients with fragility fractures to provide baseline data for future assessments of the impact of the new Health Plan Employer Data and Information Set (HEDIS) measure. RESEARCH DESIGN: The MarketScan Medicare Supplemental and Coordination of Benefits (COB) database was used to examine adherence to the 2004 HEDIS guidelines by measuring the percent of women age 67 and older who were screened and/or treated after a fracture from 2000 through 2005. Clinical, demographic, and provider characteristics were assessed to determine the correlates of being screened and treated. RESULTS: The overall unadjusted percent of women screened and treated remains low, with just 10.2% screened and 12.9% treated in 2005. Multivariate analyses, which controlled for fracture location, patient characteristics, physician specialty, and region indicated small, albeit statistically significant, increases in treatment and screening over time. Women fracturing in 2005 were 27% more likely to be screened and 15% more likely to receive treatment relative to those fracturing in the year 2000. CONCLUSIONS: Although our study found some improvements in the screening for and treatment of osteoporosis among Medicare beneficiaries with a fragility fracture from 2000 through 2005, the overall percent of women screened and/or treated remained low. These data provide a baseline for assessing the impact of the new HEDIS measure in the coming years.

Health care cost associated with prostate cancer, androgen deprivation therapy and bone complications.

PURPOSE: We ascertained the health care costs of androgen deprivation therapy and related skeletal events. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Using data from the MarketScan Medicare Supplemental and Coordination of Benefits Database, we identified cases with International Classification of Disease, 9th Revision codes indicating a diagnosis of prostate cancer who initiated androgen deprivation therapy between 1999 and 2002. The control group consisted of patients with prostate cancer with no androgen deprivation therapy use, matched by age, geographic region, insurance plan and index year. All had followup data for at least 36 months. The occurrence and cost of osteoporosis and any bone fracture were assessed using a propensity score matched sample. RESULTS: Of the 8,577 eligible men with prostate cancer, 3,055 initiated androgen deprivation therapy and 5,522 did not. At the time of androgen deprivation therapy initiation those on androgen deprivation therapy had more severe comorbidity (3.1 vs 2.6, p <0.001) and proportionally more bone metastases (2.8% vs less than 0.6%, p <0.001) but no difference in fracture rate. After 3 years of followup the androgen deprivation therapy group experienced significantly more fractures (18.7% vs 14.6%, p <0.001). The mean unadjusted total cost of health care during the 36-month period was $48,350 per person for cases and $26,097 for controls. CONCLUSIONS: Among men with prostate cancer, those on androgen deprivation therapy cost the health care system almost twice as much as those not on androgen deprivation therapy. After controlling for differences in health status, the majority of the excess cost is attributable to androgen deprivation therapy and then to a lesser extent, the fractures. These results suggest that the bone complications of osteoporosis and fractures in men on androgen deprivation therapy have important economic consequences.

Economic burden of osteoporosis-related fractures in Medicaid.

OBJECTIVE: There are limited studies concerning the economic burden of osteoporosis in the Medicaid population. This study estimated the direct cost of osteoporosis-related fractures (OPFx) to state Medicaid budgets. METHODS: This retrospective analysis utilized Medicaid claims databases from three states, which included approximately 8 million Medicaid recipients. The study sample had at least one claim for an osteoporosis diagnosis (733.0x) between January 1, 2000 and December 31, 2001. Beneficiaries with a fracture and a diagnosis of osteoporosis were assigned to the case cohort. A propensity score-based matching method was used to select a cohort of controls with osteoporosis but without a fracture. An exponential conditional mean model was used to estimate the incremental annual cost associated with fractures. RESULTS: The study cohort (n = 7626) and a 1:1 matched control group were identified. The study cohort was 85.8% female, had an average age of 65 years, were 53.2% white, and 48.9% were eligible for Medicare. There were significant increases (all P < 0.05) from the preperiod to study period for this cohort in the proportion that had at least one hospital admission (14.0% vs. 26.5%), nursing home admission (9.2% vs. 17.2%), home health (39.1% vs. 49.3%), or emergency room visit (21.3% vs. 31.9%). In contrast, the control cohort had very little increase in utilization. The regression-adjusted incremental cost for osteoporosis-related expenses in the year after fracture was estimated at $4007 per patient. The estimated incremental cost was $5370 for the subset of patients who were eligible for Medicare. CONCLUSION: The economic burden of osteoporosis-related fractures on state Medicaid budgets is substantial.

Utilization and cost of health care services associated with primary malignant brain tumors in the United States.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the economic burden of primary malignant brain tumors in a commercially insured population in the United States, and to identify the primary drivers of health care resource use and cost. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A retrospective cohort analysis was performed using a 1998-2000 database containing inpatient, outpatient, and pharmacy claims for employees, their dependents, and early retirees of over 50 large US employers with wide geographic distribution. Patients were followed from first brain tumor diagnosis until death, termination of health benefits coverage, or study end. Controls without any cancer diagnosis were matched at a 3:1 ratio by demographic characteristics and length of follow-up. RESULTS: Patients with malignant brain tumors (n = 653) had significantly greater health service utilization and costs for hospitalizations, emergency room visits, outpatient office visits, laboratory tests, radiology services, and pharmacy-dispensed drugs (all P < 0.05) than did controls (n = 1959). Regression-adjusted mean monthly costs were $6364 for brain tumor patients, compared with $277 for controls (P < 0.0001). The primary cost driver was inpatient care ($4502 per month). Total costs during the study period were $49,242 for those with brain tumors and $2790 for controls (P < 0.0001). CONCLUSION: Patients with malignant brain tumors accrued health care costs that were 20 times greater than demographically matched control subjects without cancer. The costs for inpatient services were the primary drivers of total health resource use. Despite their low incidence, primary malignant brain tumors produce a substantial burden on the US health care system. There is a marked need for improved and new approaches to treatment to reduce the resource use and to offset health care costs associated with this disease.

Medical costs associated with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in the United States during the first two years of treatment.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the direct costs of medical care associated with aggressive and indolent non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) in the United States; to show how costs for aggressive NHL change over time by examining costs related to initial, secondary and palliative treatment phases; and to evaluate the economic consequences of treatment failure in aggressive NHL. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A retrospective cohort analysis of 1999 - 2000 direct costs in newly diagnosed NHL patients and controls (subjects without any cancer) was conducted using the MarketScan medical and drug claims database of large employers across the United States. Treatment failure analysis was conducted for aggressive NHL patients, and was defined by the need for secondary treatment or palliative care after initial therapy. Cost of treatment failure was calculated as difference in regression-adjusted costs between patients with initial therapy only and patients experiencing initial treatment failure. RESULTS: Patients with aggressive (n = 356) and indolent (n = 698) NHL had significantly greater health service utilization and associated costs (all P < 05) than controls (n = 1068 for aggressive, n = 2094 for indolent). Mean monthly costs were 5871 dollars for aggressive NHL vs. 355 dollars for controls (P < 0001) and 3833 dollars for indolent NHL vs. 289 dollars for controls (P < 0001). The primary cost drivers were hospitalization (aggressive NHL = 44% of total costs, indolent NHL = 50%) and outpatient office visits (aggressive NHL = 39%, indolent NHL = 34%). For aggressive NHL, mean monthly initial treatment phase costs (10,970 dollars) and palliative care costs (9836 dollars) were higher than costs incurred during secondary phase (3302 dollars). The mean cost of treatment failure in aggressive NHL was 14,174 dollars per month, and 85,934 dollars over the study period. CONCLUSION: The treatment of NHL was associated with substantial health care costs. Patients with aggressive lymphomas tended to accrue higher costs, compared with those with indolent lymphomas. These costs varied over time, with the highest costs occurring during the initial treatment and palliative care phases. Treatment failure was the most expensive treatment pattern. New strategies to prevent or delay treatment failure in aggressive NHL could help reduce the economic burden of NHL.

Burden of pancreatic cancer and disease progression: economic analysis in the US.

OBJECTIVES: The few studies that have estimated the costs of pancreatic cancer were limited by small sample sizes, geography or patient age range. Using a large nationwide claims database, this study examines the cost of pancreatic cancer beginning with initial diagnosis and the additional costs when disease progresses. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was conducted using a claims database of 3 million individuals covered by large US employers. The study population consisted of patients newly diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 1999-2000 and a demographically matched control group. Utilization and costs were summarized as monthly means. Changes in cancer severity and treatment over time were used to approximate disease progression and its associated costs. RESULTS: The study included 412 pancreatic cancer patients and 1,236 controls. The mean follow-up time was 7.5 months. Regression-adjusted monthly costs attributable to pancreatic cancer were USD 7,279; over 60% resulted from hospitalizations. Patients with disease progression (over 50%) incurred an additional USD 15,143 per month compared to patients without disease progression. CONCLUSION: Compared to patients without cancer, the costs of pancreatic cancer patients were substantial, especially when patients experienced disease progression. New therapies that prevent or delay disease progression could potentially offset the costs to patients, providers and society.

The direct cost of stress urinary incontinence among women in a Medicaid population.

OBJECTIVE: To describe health care utilization and costs for women diagnosed with stress urinary incontinence in a Medicaid population. STUDY DESIGN: We utilized a pooled database of claims for women enrolled in Medicaid in 1 of 3 states. Health care utilization and costs were compared for 12 months before and 12 months after a woman's urinary incontinence diagnosis. Additional analyses utilized data from a fourth state. RESULTS: Of 13,672 women with diagnosed stress urinary incontinence, average urinary incontinence-related costs were approximately 800 dollars in the 12-month study period, less than 0.1% of total Medicaid spending. Thirteen percent of women underwent a surgery for stress urinary incontinence in the study period, with sling procedures performed most commonly. CONCLUSION: Although population prevalence estimates of any stress urinary incontinence symptoms often are high, diagnosis and health care utilization in the Medicaid population is low. Overall costs of stress urinary incontinence treatment in Medicaid currently are minimal. Further efforts to understand the appropriate detection, diagnosis, and treatment of women with stress urinary incontinence are needed.

The economic burden of lung cancer and the associated costs of treatment failure in the United States.

The economic burden of lung cancer was examined with a retrospective case-control cohort study on a database containing inpatient, outpatient and drug claims for employees, dependents and retirees of multiple large US employers with wide geographic distribution. Patients were followed for maximum of 2 years from first cancer diagnosis until death, health benefits dis-enrollment or study end (31 December 2000). Compared with controls (subjects without any cancer), patients with lung cancer (n = 2040) had greater health care service utilization and costs for hospitalization, emergency room visits, outpatient office visits, radiology procedures, laboratory procedures and pharmacy-dispensed drugs (all P < 0.05). Regression-adjusted mean monthly total costs were US dollar 6520 for patients versus US dollar 339 for controls (P < 0.0001), and overall costs across the study period (from diagnosis to death or maximum of 2 years) were US dollar 45,897 for patients and US dollar 2907 for controls (P < 0.0001). The main cost drivers were hospitalization (49.0% of costs) and outpatient office visits (35.2% of costs). Monthly initial treatment phase costs (US dollar 11,496 per patient) were higher than costs during the secondary treatment phase (US dollar 3733) or terminal care phase (US dollar 9399). Failure of initial treatment was associated with markedly increased costs. Compared with patients requiring only initial treatment, patients experiencing treatment failure accrued an additional US dollar 10,370 per month in initial treatment phase costs and US dollar 8779 more per month after starting the secondary and/or terminal care phase. Over the course of the study period, these patients had total costs of US dollar 120,650, compared with US dollar 45,953 for those receiving initial treatment only. Thus, the incremental costs associated with treatment failure were US dollar 19,149 per month and US dollar 74,697 across the study period. Other types of clinical and epidemiological analysis are needed to identify risks for treatment failure. The economic burden of lung cancer on the US health care system is significant and increased prevention, new therapies or adjuvant chemotherapy may reduce both resource use and healthcare costs. New strategies for lung cancer that reduce hospitalizations and/or prevent or delay treatment failure could offset some of the economic burden associated with the disease.

The economic burden of anemia in cancer patients receiving chemotherapy.

BACKGROUND: Anemia is one of the most common hematologic complications of cancer and cytotoxic treatment. The economic burden associated with anemia in patients with malignancy has not yet been extensively studied. METHODS: Patients receiving chemotherapy within 6 months of initial cancer diagnosis were identified in a database of commercial health-care service claims and encounters. Patients with anemia were identified through a coded diagnosis of anemia, transfusion, or erythropoietin treatment. Exponential conditional mean models and a decomposition analysis were used to analyze mean 6-month health-care expenditures. RESULTS: Twenty-six percent (26%) of 2760 cancer patients with recently diagnosed invasive cancer treated with chemotherapy had anemia. Mean (SD) 6-month unadjusted total expenditures were 62,499 dollars (78,016 dollars) for anemic patients and 36,871 dollars (52,308 dollars) for nonanemic patients (P < 0.0001), with inpatient services representing the largest cost differential between the groups. The adjusted mean 6-month expenditure for the average anemic patient receiving chemotherapy was 57,209 dollars. If anemic patients had the same average health status as nonanemic patients, their predicted 6-month expenditures would have been 19% lower (46,237 dollars). Alternatively, if anemic patients had the same expenditure structure or parameter estimates as nonanemic patients, their predicted expenditures would have been 51% lower (27,847 dollars). Thus, for any given health status, treating a patient who is anemic is associated with considerably higher expenditures. CONCLUSIONS: Anemia among cancer patients receiving chemotherapy is associated with a substantial burden in terms of direct medical costs. Implications for the treatment of anemia are suggested by this research and should be confirmed in prospective studies.

The impact of anaemia and its treatment on employee disability and medical costs.

OBJECTIVE: Anaemia is a common haematological complication of cancer and cytotoxic treatment. The incremental economic burden associated with medical care and short-term disability of anaemia in patients with malignancy and receiving chemotherapy has not been well documented. This study evaluates the effect of anaemia on the costs associated with cancer treated with chemotherapy. METHODS: Patients receiving chemotherapy within 6 months of their initial cancer diagnosis were identified in a commercial claims database for 1999-2000. Data for these individuals were linked to their employers' short-term disability records via unique encrypted personal identification numbers provided by employers. Patients with anaemia were identified by a diagnosis of anaemia or treatment with transfusion or erythropoietin alfa (EPO). Healthcare expenditure and short-term disability leave were observed for up to 6 months following initial cancer diagnosis and were summarised into monthly averages. Exponential conditional mean models and zero-inflated negative binomial models were used to analyse mean monthly healthcare expenditures and short-term disability days. RESULTS: Twenty-five percent of the 619 newly diagnosed cancer patients treated with chemotherapy had anaemia. The presence of anaemia and longer length of transfusion therapy were associated with increased expenditures, while longer length of EPO treatment was associated with lower expenditures. The incremental costs due to anaemia among patients receiving chemotherapy were US$5,538 (year 2001 values) per month in the first 6 months following cancer diagnosis, 10.8% of which were costs related to short-term disability leave. CONCLUSION: Anaemia in patients undergoing chemotherapy presents a substantial burden to employers and payers. The findings also suggest that patients with anaemia treated with erythropoietin alfa can achieve expenditure levels similar to those patients without anaemia.

Health care utilization and expenditures in the United States: a study of osteoporosis-related fractures.

BACKGROUND: More than 1.5 million fractures occur due to osteoporosis each year. This study examines the annual health care utilization and associated expenditures of osteoporotic patients who sustain a new fragility fracture and of those without a new fracture. METHODS AND PROCEDURES: The study sample from commercial claims databases consisted of patients enrolled in US plans between January 1, 1997, and December 31, 2001. Patients with both an osteoporosis diagnosis and a related fracture were classified as "osteoporosis with concurrent fracture"; all other osteoporosis patients were classified as "osteoporosis without concurrent fracture." Annual utilization and expenditures for the concurrent-fracture cohort were compared with those without concurrent fracture, as well as with a group of patients without osteoporosis (controls) that was matched to the concurrent-fracture cohort based on age, gender, US region, health plan type, and length of enrollment. Exponential conditional mean models were used to compute regression-adjusted total expenditures across the groups. The differences in adjusted expenditures were used to generate the economic burden-of-illness estimates. RESULTS: Osteoporosis patients with concurrent fracture incurred more than twice the overall health care expenditures in the study period, compared with those without fracture (US $15,942 vs $6,476), and nearly three times those of the control group (US $15,942 vs $4,658). Approximately 25% of the overall health care expenditures (US $4,014 of $15,942) for the concurrent-fracture group were osteoporosis-related expenditures, leading to the conclusion that comorbid conditions in osteoporosis patients with concurrent fracture contribute significantly to overall health care costs. Some of these comorbidity-related costs were likely due to pain-related disorders, which occurred significantly more frequently in the concurrent-fracture cohort than in the other groups. CONCLUSION: Osteoporosis-related expenditures, particularly those related to fracture, were substantial. However, non-osteoporosis-related expenditures to treat comorbid conditions constituted 75% of the overall health care costs in the year after an osteoporosis-related fracture, which warrants further investigation.

Estimating the cost of cancer: results on the basis of claims data analyses for cancer patients diagnosed with seven types of cancer during 1999 to 2000.

PURPOSE: Cancer accounts for 60.9 billion dollars in direct medical costs and 15.5 billion dollars for indirect morbidity costs. These estimates are derived primarily from national surveys or Federal databases. We derive estimates of the costs of cancer using administrative databases, which include claims and employment-related information on individuals insured by private or Medicare supplemental health plans. METHODS: A retrospective matched-cohort control analysis was performed using 1998 to 2000 databases with information on insurance claims, benefits, and health productivity for 3 million privately insured employees, their dependents, and early retirees. Study patients had new diagnoses of one of seven types of cancer (n = 12,709). Controls without cancer were matched at a 3:1 ratio by demographics. A variable follow-up length was used (maximum of 2 years). Direct costs included health care costs for patients and deductibles and copayments for caregivers. Indirect costs of work absence and short-term disability (STD) were calculated for a subgroup of cancer patients and caregivers. RESULTS: Mean monthly health care costs ranged from 2,187 dollars for prostate cancer to 7,616 dollars for pancreatic cancer, most often driven by hospitalization. Costs for controls were 329 dollars per month. Indirect morbidity costs to employees with cancer averaged 945 dollars, a result of a mean monthly loss of 2.0 workdays and 5.0 STD days. CONCLUSION: The economic burden of cancer is substantial. It is feasible to derive tumor-specific estimates of direct and indirect costs for large numbers of cancer patients using administrative databases. Policy makers charged with providing annual cost-of-cancer estimates should incorporate data obtained from a broad range of sources.

The application of two health and productivity instruments at a large employer.

We applied two productivity instruments (the Work Productivity Short Inventory and the Work Limitations Questionnaire) to the same employees working at a large telecommunications firm. In this work we note differences in productivity metrics obtained from these instruments and offer reasons for those differences that may be related to their design. Within this sample, average at-work productivity (presenteeism) losses were 4.9% as measured by the WLQ and 6.9% as measured by the WPSI. These translated into losses of approximately $2000 to $2800 per employee per year, respectively. Total productivity losses were usually not associated with demographics or job type but were associated with perceived health status and the existence of particular medical conditions. Both instruments may be useful for employers who want to estimate productivity losses and learn where to focus their energy to help stem those losses.

Healthcare utilization among women who undergo surgery for stress urinary incontinence.

This study examined patterns of care for women undergoing surgery for stress urinary incontinence (SUI). A retrospective analysis of administrative claims data was performed and we identified 12520 women with a diagnosis of SUI and a subset of 3735 women with a surgical procedure code for SUI. For the main types of surgeries, we examined length of stay, pharmaceutical use, complications, and healthcare utilization related to incontinence greater than 6 months after surgery. Approximately 30% of women with a coded SUI diagnosis underwent surgery. Of the initial procedures, 40% were retropubic suspensions and 25% were sling procedures. Almost 4% of women underwent an additional surgery, and 14.1% had claims related to incontinence 6 or more months after the initial procedure. We examined medical care and pharmaceutical use for women undergoing continence surgery. This information may be important to patients and physicians discussing treatment options.