Cost Implications of Insurance Associated Disparities in Post-Acute Traumatic Brain and Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation.

Abstract Post-acute care after spinal cord injury (SCI) or traumatic brain injury (TBI) influences neurological function regained. Inpatient rehabilitation facilities (IRFs) have more intensive care and result in lower mortality and better functional outcomes compared with skilled nursing facilities (SNFs). This study sought to quantify inpatient rehabilitation access by insurance and estimate the cost implications. We conducted a retrospective observational cohort study utilizing 2015-2017 California Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development database of injured adults with SCI and/or TBI. The primary predictor was insurance status. The outcome was discharge destination (home, IRFs, SNFs, long-term acute care [LTAC]) modeled using multi-variable multinomial mixed-effects logistic regression controlling for age, diagnosis, Weighted Elixhauser Comorbidity Index, and New Injury Severity Score. Cost of care for discharge to IRFs versus SNFs was estimated by adjusted quantile regression. Cost simulation predicted the adjusted cost difference if all publicly insured participants were discharged to an IRF. We identified 83,230 patients with an injury mechanism and a primary acute care hospitalization diagnosis of TBI (90.9%), SCI (8.3%), or both (0.8%) who were discharged to an IRF, SNF, LTAC, or home. Publicly insured patients were more likely than privately insured patients to go to SNFs versus IRFs (odds ratio [OR]: 2.17, 95% confidence interval [CI 2.01-2.34]). Sub-group analysis of 6416 participants showed an adjusted median total cost difference of $18,461 (95% CI [$5,908-$38,064]) and adjusted cost-per-day of the post-acute encounter of $1,045 (95% CI [$752-$2,399]) higher for discharge to IRFs versus SNFs. Cost simulation demonstrated an additional adjusted cost of $364M annually for universal IRF access for the publicly insured. Publicly insured SCI and TBI Californians are less frequently discharged to IRFs compared with their privately insured counterparts resulting in a lower short-term cost of care. However, the consequences of decreased intensive rehabilitation utilization in terms of functional recovery and long-term cost implications require further investigation.

Análise das características de indivíduos com sequelas de traumatismo cranioencefálico (TCE) em um centro de referência em reabilitação (características de TCE) / Analysis of the characteristics of individuals with traumatic brain injury (TBI) in a rehabilitation reference center (TBI characteristics)

INTRODUÇÃO: O Traumatismo Cranioencefálico (TCE)é definido como uma alteração na função encefálica, devido a uma causa externa, ou seja, algum trauma físico de origem externa e que leva à morbimortalidade e incapacidades em todo o mundo. OBJETIVO: Analisar as características (aspectos sociodemográficos, causa do TCE; custos com saúde) de indivíduos com sequelas de traumatismo cranioencefálico em um centro de referência em reabilitação. METODOLOGIA: Estudo de natureza descritiva,retrospectiva e quantitativa no período de janeiro de 2009 a dezembro de 2013, por meio de análise documental, resultando em uma amostra final de 88 prontuários analisados. Foram incluídos indivíduos de ambos os sexos, com idade igual ou superior a dois anos de vida. RESULTADOS: Dos indivíduos com sequelas de TCE, 86,36% eram do sexo masculino, com idade entre 18 e 59 anos (80,68%), apresentando ensino médio completo (26,14%), de cor parda (52,27%) e com renda familiar entre um e cinco salários mínimos (60,23%). A causa mais frequente de TCE foi o acidente motociclístico (68,18%). Não houve diferença estatística entre tipos de causa de TCE e custos com saúde. CONCLUSÃO: O presente estudo demonstrou que grande parte dos indivíduos eram homens jovens e vítimas de acidente motociclístico.(AU)

INTRODUCTION: traumatic brain injury (TBI) is defined as a change in brain function due to an external cause, that is, some external physical trauma that leads to morbidity and mortality, disabilities and mortality worldwide. OBJECTIVE: To analyze the characteristics (Socio-demographic aspects; causes of TBI; Health costs) of individuals with traumatic brain injury sequelae in a referral center for rehabilitation. METHODOLOGY: descriptive, retrospective and quantitative study from January 2009 to December 2013, Through documentary analysis, resulting in a final sample of 88 analyzed medical records. Individuals of both sexes, aged 2 years or more, were included. RESULTS: Of the individuals with TBI sequelae, 86.36% were male, aged between 18 and 59 years (80.68%), with completed secondary education (26.14%), mulatto (52.27 %) and family income between 1 and 5 minimum wages (60.23%). The most frequent cause of TBI were motorcycle accidents (68.18%). There was no statistical difference between types of cause of TBI and health care costs. CONCLUSION: This study showed that most individuals were young men, motorcycle accident victims and who lost work capacity. (AU)

Costs after hip fracture in independently living patients: a randomised comparison of three rehabilitation modalities.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate costs and cost-effectiveness of physical and geriatric rehabilitation after hip fracture. DESIGN: Prospective randomised study (mean age 78 years, 105 male, 433 female) in different rehabilitation settings: physically oriented (187 patients), geriatrically oriented (171 patients), and healthcare centre hospital (control, 180 patients). MAIN MEASURES: At 12 months post-fracture, we collected data regarding days in rehabilitation, post-rehabilitation hospital treatment, other healthcare service use, number of re-operations, taxi use by patient or relative, and help from relatives. RESULTS: Control rehabilitation (4945,2€) was significantly less expensive than physical (6609.0€, p=0.002) and geriatric rehabilitation (7034.7€ p<0.001). Total institutional care costs (primary treatment, rehabilitation, and post-rehabilitation hospital care) were lower for control (13,438.4€) than geriatric rehabilitation (17,201.7€, p<0.001), but did not differ between control and physical rehabilitation (15659.1€, p=0.055) or between physical and geriatric rehabilitation ( p=0.252). Costs of help from relatives (estimated as 30%, 50% and 100% of a home aid's salary) with physical rehabilitation were lower than control ( p=0.016) but higher than geriatric rehabilitation ( p=0.041). Total hip fracture treatment costs were lower with physical (36,356€, 51,018€) than control rehabilitation (38,018€, 57,031€) at 50% and 100% of salary ( p=0.032, p=0.014, respectively). At one year post-fracture, 15D-score was significantly higher in physical rehabilitation group (0.697) than geriatric rehabilitation group (0.586, p=0.008) and control group (0.594, p=0.009). CONCLUSIONS: Considering total costs one year after hip fracture the treatment including physical rehabilitation is significantly more cost-effective than routine treatment. This effect could not be seen between routine treatment and treatment including geriatric rehabilitation.