Out-of-pocket expenditure: Reliable data to monitor universal health

Out-of-pocket expenditures (OPE) are one of the most important categories of health expenditure, reflecting the burden of households with the highest financial risk. They are also the main source of inequity in access to health services and the most inefficient way of financing health systems. However, they are one of the most difficult categories to measure due to the insufficient coverage and standardization of records in different countries. OPE is, in practice, a source of financing, but it is the least desirable one because of its negative impact on access to health services and on equity, and in terms of efficiency in health spending. Above all, it reflects an absence of insurance coverage or financial protection with respect to a set of health goods and services for certain population groups. By measuring and analyzing OPE, it is possible to identify targeted policy interventions to protect households from financial risks when they have to use health services. The challenge is to understand the purpose of the measurement, extract the maximum benefit from existing data, and progressively improve OPE reporting. This document aims to support a move in this direction.

Identification of public and private expenditure on medicines using the SHA 2011 methodology

Medicines are frequently used in most health services. They are a high-cost component with high-price dynamics. Analyzing the financial burden of this component is a priority in terms of equity, sustainability, and efficient use of resources. This document supports the standardized measurement of expenditure on medicines by the two most relevant actors: governments and households. By documenting their funding of medicines, policy priorities can be established to better meet treatment needs in each society.

Atenção primária e informação em saúde: desempenho e financiamento no município de Natal/rn / Primary Care and Health Information: Performace and finance in the municipality Natal/RN / Atención Primaria e Información en Salud: Desempenõ y financiamiento en elmunicipio de Natal/RN

Introdução: O país adotou, com a criação do Programa Previne Brasil, uma nova forma de financiamento da Atenção Primária à Saúde, com a portaria ministerial 2.979/2019, a qual estabeleceu critérios para alocação de recursos, com foco para o desempenho e produtividade da Atenção Primária. Talmodelo vem sendo alvo de críticas pelo campo acadêmico da Saúde Coletiva e por gestões municipais, que em diferentes situações demonstram perdas financeiras, sobretudo, devido ao componente de capitação ponderada. Objetivo: Sistematizar o desempenho da Atenção Primária à Saúde do município de Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, com base em indicadores de desempenho do Sistema de Informação em Saúde para a Atenção Básica, e o financiamento da Atenção Primária, com base no Sistema de Informações sobre Orçamentos Públicos em Saúde, entre os anos 2019 a 2022. Metodologia: Trata-se de uma pesquisa descritiva-exploratória, com utilização de dados secundários e sistematização dos sete indicadores de desempenho da Atenção Primária e análise das despesas com saúdedo município de Natal. Resultados:Dos sete indicadores analisados, o município de Natal alcançou a meta em dois indicadores, referente à proporção de gestantes com pelo menos seis consultas pré-natal realizadas (46% em 2022) e com realização de exames para sífilis e HIV (67% em 2022). O município destinou à Atenção Primária, em 2022, apenas 6,33% de todas suas despesas com saúde. Destaca-se, também, que a cobertura da Atenção Primária no município é de 60%, havendo ainda um vazio assistencial para grande parte da população natalense. Conclusões:A análise de indicadores de saúde, torna-se importante ferramenta para a ação avaliativa do Sistema Único de Saúde, bem como dá suporte para a tomada de decisão por parte de gestores e equipes de saúde, além de produzir conhecimento crítico para a qualificação da Atenção Primária à Saúde (AU).

Introduction:The country adopted, with the creation of the Previne Brasil Program, a new form of financing Primary Health Care, with ministerial decree 2.979/2019, which established criteria for resource allocation, focusing on the performance and productivity of Primary Care. This model has been criticized by the academic field of Public Health and by municipal administrations, which in different situations demonstrate financial losses, mainly due to the weighted capitation component. Objective:Systematize the performance of Primary Health Care in the city of Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, based on performance indicators from the Health Information System for Primary Care, and the financing of Primary Care, based on the Information System of Public Health Budgets, between the years 2019 and 2022. Methodology:This is descriptive-exploratory research, using secondary data and systematization of the seven Primary Care performance indicators and analysis of health expenses in the city of Natal. Results: Of the seven indicators analyzed, the municipality of Natal reached the target in two indicators, referring to the proportion of pregnant women with at least six prenatal consultations carried out (46% in 2022) and with tests for syphilis and HIV (67% in 2022). In 2022, the municipality allocated only 6.33% of all its health expenses to PrimaryCare. It is also noteworthy that Primary Care coverage in the municipality is 60%, with there still being a care gap for a large part of the population of Natal. Conclusions:The analysis of health indicators becomes an important tool for the evaluative action of the Unified Health System, as well as providing support for decision-making by managers and health teams, in addition to producing critical knowledge for the qualification of Primary Health Care (AU).

Introducción: El país adoptó, con la creación del Previne Brasil, una nueva forma de financiamiento de la Atención Primaria de Salud, con el decreto ministerial 2.979/2019, que estableció criterios para la asignación de recursos, con foco en el desempeño y productividad de la Atención Primaria. Este modelo ha sido criticado por el ámbito académico de la Salud Pública y por las administraciones municipales, que en diferentes situaciones demuestran pérdidas financieras, principalmente por el componente de capitación ponderada. Objetivo: Sistematizar el desempeño de la Atención Primaria de Salud en la ciudad de Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, con base en indicadores de desempeño del Sistema de Información en Salud para la Atención Primaria, y el su financiamiento, con base en el Sistema de Información Presupuestaria Pública en Salud, entre los años 2019 y 2022. Metodología: Se trata de una investigación descriptiva-exploratoria, utilizando datos secundarios y sistematización de siete indicadores de desempeño de la Atención Básica y análisis del gasto en salud. Resultados: De los siete indicadores analizados, el municipio de Natal alcanzó la meta en dos indicadores, referidos a la proporción de gestantes con al menos seis consultas prenatales realizadas (46% en 2022) y con pruebas de sífilis y HIV (67% en 2022). En 2022, el municipio destinó sólo el 6,33% de todos sus gastos sanitarios a la Atención Primaria. También se destaca que la cobertura de Atención Primaria en el municipio es del 60%, existiendo aún brecha de atención para gran parte de la población. Conclusiones: El análisis de indicadores de salud se convierte en herramienta importante para la acción de evaluación del Sistema Único de Salud, además de brindar apoyo para la toma de decisiones de gestores y equipos de salud, además de producir conocimiento crítico para la calificación de la Atención Primaria de Salud (AU).

Ambulatory Surgery Centers Reduce Patient Out-of-Pocket Expenditures for Isolated Arthroscopic Rotator Cuff Repair, but Patient Out-of-Pocket Expenditures Are Increasing at a Faster Rate Than Total Healthcare Utilization Reimbursement From Payers.

PURPOSE: To categorize and trend annual out-of-pocket expenditures for arthroscopic rotator cuff repair (RCR) patients relative to total healthcare utilization (THU) reimbursement and compare drivers of patient out-of-pocket expenditures (POPE) in a granular fashion via analyses by insurance type and surgical setting. METHODS: Patients who underwent outpatient arthroscopic RCR in the United States from 2013 to 2018 were identified from the IBM MarketScan Database. Primary outcome variables were total POPE and THU reimbursement, which were calculated for all claims in the 9-month perioperative period. Trends in outcome variables over time and differences across insurance types were analyzed. Multivariable analysis was performed to investigate drivers of POPE. RESULTS: A total of 52,330 arthroscopic RCR patients were identified. Between 2013 and 2018, median POPE increased by 47.5% ($917 to $1,353), and median THU increased by 9.3% ($11,964 to $13,076). Patients with high deductible insurance plans paid $1,910 toward their THU, 52.5% more than patients with preferred provider plans ($1,253, P = .001) and 280.5% more than patients with managed care plans ($502, P = .001). All components of POPE increased over the study period, with the largest observed increase being POPE for the immediate procedure (P = .001). On multivariable analysis, out-of-network facility, out-of-network surgeon, and high-deductible insurance most significantly increased POPE. CONCLUSIONS: POPE for arthroscopic RCR increased at a higher rate than THU over the study period, demonstrating that patients are paying an increasing proportion of RCR costs. A large percentage of this increase comes from increasing POPE for the immediate procedure. Out-of-network facility status increased POPE 3 times more than out-of-network surgeon status, and future cost-optimization strategies should focus on facility-specific reimbursements in particular. Last, ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) significantly reduced POPE, so performing arthroscopic RCRs at ASCs is beneficial to cost-minimization efforts. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: This study highlights that although payers have increased reimbursement for RCR, patient out-of-pocket expenditures have increased at a much higher rate. Furthermore, this study elucidates trends in and drivers of patient out-of-pocket payments for RCR, providing evidence for development of cost-optimization strategies and counseling of patients undergoing RCR.

Use Of High- And Low-Value Health Care Among US Adults, By Income, 2010-19.

Health care payment reforms in the US have aimed to encourage the use of high-value care while discouraging the use of low-value care. However, little is known about whether the use of high- and low-value care differs by income level. Using data from the 2010-19 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey, we examined the use of specified types of high- and low-value care by income level. We found that high-income adults were significantly more likely than low-income adults to use nearly all types of high-value care. Findings were consistent across age categories, although differences by income level in the use of high-value care were smaller among the elderly. Our analysis of differences in the use of low-value care had mixed results. Among nonelderly adults, significant differences between those with high and low incomes were found for five of nine low-value services, and among elderly adults, significant differences by income level were found for three of twelve low-value services. Understanding the mechanisms underlying these disparities is crucial to developing effective policies and interventions to ensure equitable access to high-value care and discourage low-value services for all patients, regardless of income.

The Effect Of Next Generation Accountable Care Organizations On Medicare Expenditures.

The Next Generation Accountable Care Organization (NGACO) model (active during 2016-21) tested the effects of high financial risk, payment mechanisms, and flexible care delivery on health care spending and value for fee-for-service Medicare beneficiaries. We used quasi-experimental methods to examine the model's effects on Medicare Parts A and B spending. Sixty-two ACOs with more than 4.2 million beneficiaries and more than 91,000 practitioners participated in the model. The model was associated with a $270 per beneficiary per year, or approximately $1.7 billion, decline in Medicare spending. After shared savings payments to ACOs were included, the model increased net Medicare spending by $56 per beneficiary per year, or $96.7 million. Annual declines in spending for the model grew over time, reflecting exit by poorer-performing NGACOs, improvement among the remaining NGACOs, and the COVID-19 pandemic. Larger declines in spending occurred among physician practice ACOs and ACOs that elected population-based payments and risk caps greater than 5 percent.

Out-of-Pocket Costs for Vesicoureteral Reflux Imaging in Commercially Insured Children From 2012 to 2021.

Among commercially insured children nationally from 2012 to 2021, imaging for urinary tract infection or suspected vesicoureteral reflux required cost sharing by 55.6­71.2% of families. In a multivariable model, the total out-of-pocket cost was not significantly associated with imaging modality, although it was associated with patient demographics, insurance plan type, and calendar quarter.

Regional trends in mental health inequalities in young people aged 16-25 in the UK and the role of cuts to local government expenditure: Repeated cross-sectional analysis using the British household panel Survey/UK household longitudinal survey.

Young people's mental health globally has been in decline. Because of their low perceived need, young people's services tend to be the first cut when budgets are reduced. There is a lack of evidence on how a reduction in services and opportunities for young people is associated with their mental health. Additionally, how this may be magnified by place and the assets and challenges of place. The aim of this study is to explore trends in young people's mental health measured by GHQ-12 over time in the twelve regions of the UK. We estimated an interrupted time series model using 2010 as a break point from which there was a shift in government policy to a prolonged period of large reductions in central government funding. Repeated cross-sectional data on young people aged 16-25 is used from the British Household Panel Survey and its successor survey UK Household Longitudinal Survey. Results showed a statistically significant reduction in mental health for young people living in the North East, Wales, and the East of England. The North East was the region with the largest reduction in funding and saw the greatest reduction in young people's mental health. Next, we look at how reductions in local government expenditure related to services for children and young people: children's social services, education, transportation, and culture; explain the observed decline in mental health. We employ a Blinder-Oaxaca Decomposition approach comparing young people's mental health between 2011 and 2017. Results show a marginally statistically significant decrease in young people's mental health over this time. Unobserved factors related to transport spending and children's social services explain some of this gap. Area level factors such as deprivation, infrastructure, and existing assets need to be considered when distributing funding for young people's services to avoid exacerbating regional inequalities in mental health.

Financial toxicity, coping strategies, and quality of life among Chinese patients with hematologic malignancies: a cross-sectional study.

PURPOSE: Financial toxicity is used to describe the financial hardship experienced by cancer patients. Financial toxicity may cause negative consequences to patients, whereas little is known in Chinese context. This study aimed to explore the level of financial toxicity, coping strategies, and quality of life among Chinese patients with hematologic malignancies. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We conducted a prospective, observational study among 274 Chinese patients with hematologic malignancies from November 2021 to August 2022 in Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center. Clinical data were extracted from electronic clinical records. Data on financial toxicity, coping strategies, and quality of life were collected using PRO measures. Chi-square or independent t test and multivariate logistic regression were performed to explore the associated factors of financial toxicity and quality of life, respectively. Effects of financial toxicity on coping strategies were examined using Chi-square. RESULTS: The mean age of the participants was 50.2 (± 14.6) years. Male participants accounted for 57.3%. About half of the participants reported high financial toxicity. An average median of ¥200,000 on total medical expenditures since the diagnosis was reported. The average median monthly out-of-pocket health expenditure relating to cancer treatment was ¥20,000 (range ¥632-¥172,500) after reimbursement. Reduce daily living expenses (64.9%), borrowing money (55.7%), and choosing cheaper regimens (19.6%) were the commonly used strategies to cope with financial burden. Financial toxicity was negatively associated with quality of life (ß = 0.071, P = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Financial toxicity was not uncommon in patients with hematological malignancies. Reducing daily living expenses, abandoning treatment sessions, and borrowing money were the strategies commonly adopted by participants to defray cancer costs. Additionally, participants with high level of financial toxicity tended to have worse quality of life. Therefore, actions from healthcare providers, policy-makers, and other stakeholders should be taken to help cancer patients mitigate their financial toxicity.

Challenges and Barriers Faced by People with TB and Healthcare Workers Providing TB Care and Management - A Qualitative Study.

BACKGROUND: In tuberculosis (TB) care and management, there are practical challenges existing at the patient-provider level leading to implementation barriers at the primary care level. OBJECTIVES: The objective of the study is to explore the challenges and barriers faced by people with TB and health-care workers in TB care and management. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study was done as a part of a community intervention study between November 2021 and December 2022. Twenty interviews were taken with treatment for TB (n = 7) and health-care personnel (n = 13). Health-care personnel include nursing staff, medical officers, laboratory technicians, community health workers, and medical personnel from tertiary care hospital. Participants were recruited across all levels of health-care systems. Interviews were carried out in the Hindi language, audio recorded, and translated to English. Participants were asked about their experiences of challenges and barriers faced during TB care and management. Qualitative data were coded, and thematic analysis was done manually. RESULTS: The challenges and barriers at the level of people with TB were issues with communication between providers and people with TB, out-of-pocket expenditure, poor adherence to medicines, lack of proper diet, gender issues, and stigma. The challenges and barriers at the level of health-care providers were a lack of infrastructure and logistics, lack of awareness, COVID-19-related issues, lack of workforce, and technical issues. CONCLUSION: Communication between providers and people with TB must be improved to improve the drug adherence and satisfaction of the end user. Proper funding must be provided for the TB programs. People with TB must be counseled properly regarding the free health care services available near their homes to prevent out-of-pocket expenditure. These will help in fast-tracking the elimination of TB.

Factors associated with financial risk due to health spending in Argentina.

This article aims to assess the association between household demographic and socioeconomic characteristics and catastrophic health expenditure (CHE) in Argentina during 2017-2018. CHE was estimated as the proportion of household consumption capacity (using both income and total consumption in separate estimations) allocated for Out-of-Pocket (OOP) health expenditure. For assessing the determinants, we estimated a generalized ordered logit model using different intensities of CHE (10%, 15%, 20% and 25%) as the ordinal dependent variable, and socioeconomic, demographic and geographical variables as explanatory factors. We found that having members older than 65 years and with long-term difficulties increased the likelihood of incurring CHE. Additionally, having an economically inactive household head was identified as a factor that increases this probability. However, the research did not yield consistent results regarding the relationship between public and private health insurance and consumption capacity. Our results, along with the robustness checks, suggest that the magnitude of the coefficients for the household head characteristics could be exaggerated in studies that overlook the attributes of other household members. In addition, these results emphasize the significance of accounting for long-term difficulties and indicate that omitting this factor could overestimate the impact of members aged over 65.

Economic cost of management of glaucoma in public and private health facilities in the Tema metropolis in Ghana.

Objectives: This study sought to determine the economic cost of the management of glaucoma among patients seeking care in health facilities in Ghana. Design: A cross-sectional cost-of-illness (COI) study from the perspective of the patients was employed. Setting: The study was conducted in public and private eye care facilities in the Tema Metropolis of Ghana. Participants: About 180 randomly selected glaucoma patients seeking healthcare at two facilities participated in the study. Main outcome measure: Direct cost, including medical and non-medical costs, indirect cost, and intangible burden of management of glaucoma. Results: the cost per patient treated for glaucoma in both facilities was US$60.78 (95% CI: 18.66-107.80), with the cost in the public facilities being slightly higher (US$62.50) than the private facility (US$ 59.3). The largest cost burden in both facilities was from direct cost, which constituted about 94% of the overall cost. Medicines (42%) and laboratory and diagnostics (26%) were the major drivers of the direct cost. The overall cost within the study population was US$10,252.06. Patients paid out of pocket for the frequently used drug- Timolol, although expected to be covered under the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS). Patients, however, expressed moderate intangible burdens due to glaucoma. Conclusion: The cost of the management of glaucoma is high from the perspective of patients. The direct costs were high, with the main cost drivers being medicines, laboratory and diagnostics. It is recommended that the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) should consider payment for commonly used medications to minimize the burden on patients. Funding: None declared.

The clinical and economic burdens of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis.

AIMS: This study aimed to assess and compare the health care resource utilization (HCRU) and medical cost of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) by disease severity based on Fibrosis-4 Index (FIB-4) score among US adults in a real-world setting. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This observational cohort study used claims data from the Healthcare Integrated Research Database (HIRD) to compare all-cause, cardiovascular (CV)-related, and liver-related HCRU, including hospitalization, and medical costs stratified by FIB-4 score among patients with MASH (identified by International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision, Clinical Modification [ICD-10-CM] code K75.81). Hospitalization and medical costs were compared by FIB-4 score using generalized linear regression with negative binomial and gamma distribution models, respectively, while controlling for confounders. RESULTS: The cohort included a total of 5,104 patients with MASH and comprised 3,162, 1,343, and 599 patients with low, indeterminate, and high FIB-4 scores, respectively. All-cause hospitalization was significantly higher in the high FIB-4 cohort when compared with the low FIB-4 reference after covariate adjustment (rate ratio, 1.63; 95% CI, 1.32-2.02; p < .0001). CV-related hospitalization was similar across all cohorts; however, CV-related costs were 1.26 times higher (95% CI, 1.11-1.45; p < .001) in the indeterminate cohort and 2.15 times higher (95% CI, 1.77-2.62; p < .0001) in the high FIB-4 cohort when compared with the low FIB-4 cohort. Patients with indeterminate and high FIB-4 scores had 2.97 (95% CI, 1.78-4.95) and 12.08 (95% CI, 7.35-19.88) times the rate of liver-related hospitalization and were 3.68 (95% CI, 3.11-4.34) and 33.73 (95% CI, 27.39-41.55) times more likely to incur liver-related costs, respectively (p < .0001 for all). LIMITATIONS: This claims-based analysis relied on diagnostic coding accuracy, which may not capture the presence of all diseases or all care received. CONCLUSIONS: High and indeterminate FIB-4 scores were associated with significantly higher liver-related clinical and economic burdens than low FIB-4 scores among patients with MASH.

MASH is a serious liver disease that can lead to fibrosis, cirrhosis, and other complications. There is a need to understand the impact of disease severity on the burden of MASH. Health care claims data were used to assess the use of medical resources, including hospitalization, and medical costs among patients with 3 different levels of severity of MASH, as assessed via FIB-4 score. FIB-4 is a widely available non-invasive marker of severity. Rates of all-cause, cardiovascular-related and liver-related hospitalization and medical costs were several-fold higher in patients with high disease severity of MASH than those with low disease severity of MASH.

Multiple sclerosis: economic burden, therapeutic advances, and future forecasts in the Middle East and North Africa region.

INTRODUCTION: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a persistent condition characterized by immune-mediated processes in the central nervous system, affecting around 2.8 million individuals globally. While historically less prevalent in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, recent trends mirror the global rise in MS. AREA COVERED: The impact of MS is substantial, particularly in the MENA region, with costs per patient surpassing nominal GDP per capita in certain countries. Disease-modifying therapies aim to alleviate MS effects, but challenges persist, especially in managing progressive MS as it shifts from inflammatory to neurodegenerative phases. Limited resources in the MENA region hinder care delivery, though awareness initiatives and multidisciplinary centers are emerging. Contrary to global projections of a decline in the MS market, the MENA region is poised for growth due to increased prevalence, healthcare expenditures, and infrastructure investments. EXPERT OPINION: This review underscores the urgent necessity for effective treatments, robust disease management, and early diagnosis in tackling MS's repercussions in the MENA region. Bolstering resources tailored to MS patients and elevating the quality of care stand as pivotal strategies for enhancing health outcomes in this context. Taking decisive action holds the key to enhancing the overall well-being of individuals grappling with MS.

A structural microsimulation model for demand-side cost-sharing in healthcare.

Demand-side cost-sharing reduces moral hazard in healthcare but increases exposure to out-of-pocket expenditure. We introduce a structural microsimulation model to evaluate both total and out-of-pocket expenditure for different cost-sharing schemes. We use a Bayesian mixture model to capture the healthcare expenditure distributions across different age-gender categories. We estimate the model using Dutch data and simulate outcomes for a number of policies. The model suggests that for a deductible of 300 euros shifting the starting point of the deductible away from zero to 400 euros leads to an average 4% reduction in healthcare expenditure and 47% lower out-of-pocket payments.

Financial Toxicity of Withdrawn Poly (Adenosine Diphosphate Ribose) Polymerase Inhibitor Indications for Ovarian Cancer.

OBJECTIVES: We sought to quantify exposure to and financial impacts of poly (adenosine diphosphate ribose) polymerase inhibitor (PARPi) treatments for eventually withdrawn ovarian cancer indications. METHODS: We identified in Optum's deidentified Clinformatics® Data Mart database 1695 patients with ovarian cancer diagnoses who received olaparib, rucaparib, or niraparib between January 2015 and September 2021. We describe PARPi use and out-of-pocket, total healthcare, and PARPi spending among patients with ovarian cancer with 3 or more previous lines of therapy. RESULTS: Of the 1695 patients who received PARPi, 254 were estimated to have been heavily pretreated and exposed to eventually withdrawn indications. Cumulative total medical and pharmacy costs for these patients were $53 392 184; PARPi costs accounted for 34%. Median PARPi cost per patient was $43 347. Cumulative out-of-pocket costs totaled $533 281. CONCLUSIONS: Potential patient harm, including financial toxicity, might have been mitigated through more stringent drug approval requirements.

Total and Out-of-Pocket Costs Surrounding Emergency Department Care Among Older Adults Enrolled in Traditional Medicare and Medicare Advantage.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: We sought to quantify differences in total and out-of-pocket health care costs associated with treat-and-release emergency department (ED) visits among older adults with traditional Medicare and Medicare Advantage. METHODS: We conducted a repeated cross-sectional analysis of treat-and-release ED visits using 2015 to 2020 data from the Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey. We measured total and out-of-pocket health care spending during 3 time periods: the 30 days prior to the ED visit, the treat-and-release ED visit itself, and the 30 days after the ED visit. Stratified by traditional Medicare or Medicare Advantage status, we determined median total costs and the proportion of costs that were out-of-pocket. RESULTS: Among the 5,011 ED visits by those enrolled in traditional Medicare, the weighted median total (and % out-of-pocket) costs were $881.95 (13.3%) for the 30 days prior to the ED visit, $419.70 (10.1%) for the ED visit, and $809.00 (13.8%) for the 30 days after the ED visit. For the 2,595 ED visits by those enrolled in Medicare Advantage, the weighted median total (and % out-of-pocket) costs were $484.92 (24.0%) for the 30 days prior to the ED visit, $216.66 (21.9%) for the ED visit, and $439.13 (22.4%) for the 30 days after the ED visit. CONCLUSION: Older adults insured by Medicare Advantage incur lower total health care costs and face similar overall out-of-pocket expenses in the time period surrounding emergency care. However, a higher proportion of expenses are out-of-pocket compared with those insured by traditional Medicare, providing evidence of greater cost sharing for Medicare Advantage plan enrollees.

Short-Term Out-of-Pocket and Total Costs of Care After Ablation, Resection, or Transplant for Early-Stage Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A National SEER-Medicare Cost Comparison.

BACKGROUND. Differences in survival and morbidity among treatment options (ablation, surgical resection, and transplant) for early-stage hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) have been well studied. Additional understanding of the costs of such care would help to identify drivers of high costs and potential barriers to care delivery. OBJECTIVE. The purpose of this article was to quantify total and patient out-of-pocket costs for ablation, surgical resection, and transplant in the management of early-stage HCC and to identify factors predictive of these costs. METHODS. This retrospective U.S. population-based study used the SEER-Medicare linked dataset to identify a sample of 1067 Medicare beneficiaries (mean age, 73 years; 674 men, 393 women) diagnosed with early-stage HCC (size ≤ 5 cm) treated with ablation (n = 623), resection (n = 201), or transplant (n = 243) between January 2009 and December 2016. Total costs and patient out-of-pocket costs for the index procedure as well as for any care within 30 and 90 days after the procedure were identified and stratified by treatment modality. Additional comparisons were performed among propensity score-matched subgroups of patients treated by ablation or resection (each n = 172). Multivariable linear regression models were used to identify factors predictive of total costs and out-of-pocket costs for index procedures as well as for 30- and 90-day post-procedure periods. RESULTS. For ablation, resection, and transplant, median index-procedure total cost was US$6689, US$25,614, and US$66,034; index-procedure out-of-pocket cost was US$1235, US$1650, and US$1317; 30-day total cost was US$9456, US$29,754, and US$69,856; 30-day out-of-pocket cost was US$1646, US$2208, and US$3198; 90-day total cost was US$14,572, US$34,984, and US$88,103; and 90-day out-of-pocket cost was US$2138, US$2462, and US$3876, respectively (all p < .001). In propensity score-matched subgroups, ablation and resection had median index-procedure, 30-day, and 90-day total costs of US$6690 and US$25,716, US$9995 and US$30,365, and US$15,851 and US$34,455, respectively. In multivariable analysis adjusting for socioeconomic factors, comorbidities, and liver-disease prognostic indicators, surgical treatment (resection or transplant) was predictive of significantly greater costs compared with ablation at all time points. CONCLUSION. Total and out-of-pocket costs for index procedures as well as for 30-day and 90-day postprocedure periods were lowest for ablation, followed by resection and then transplant. CLINICAL IMPACT. This comprehensive cost analysis could help inform future cost-effectiveness analyses.

Assessing the fiscal consequences of novel and existing treatments for triple negative breast cancer in Switzerland by applying a government perspective framework.

BACKGROUND: Triple Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC) is an aggressive subtype of breast cancer that can impact patients' employment and workforce participation. This study estimates how the employment effects of TNBC impact government tax revenue and public benefits expenditure in Switzerland, representing the fiscal burden of disease (FBoD), and likely consequences of introducing new treatment options. METHODS: A four-state cohort model was used to calculate fiscal effects for two treatments: Neoadjuvant pembrolizumab plus chemotherapy followed by adjuvant pembrolizumab monotherapy (P + C→P) and neoadjuvant chemotherapy alone (C). Lifetime present values of tax revenue, social benefit payments, and healthcare costs were calculated for the average population and those undergoing treatment to assess the FBoD. RESULTS: An average TNBC patient treated with C and P + C→P is expected to generate CHF128,999 and CHF97,008 less tax than the average population, respectively, and require increased social benefit payments. Compared to C, 75% of the incremental healthcare costs of P + C→P are estimated to be offset through tax revenue gains. CONCLUSIONS: This analysis demonstrates that 75% of the additional costs of a new TNBC treatment option can be offset by gains in tax revenue. Fiscal analysis can be a useful tool to complement existing methods for evaluating new treatments.