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Activity Number:
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535
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Type:
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Topic Contributed
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Date/Time:
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Thursday, August 2, 2007 : 10:30 AM to 12:20 PM
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Sponsor:
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Section on Health Policy Statistics
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| Abstract - #310146 |
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Title:
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How Do You Argue Against the Use of a High-Cost Medical Treatment When a 'Quality-of-Life' Measure Is Not Available?
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Author(s):
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Andrea McAllister*+
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Companies:
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Highmark Inc.
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Address:
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120 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA, 15222,
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Keywords:
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high-cost ; treatment ; healthcare ; insurance
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Abstract:
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A pre/post total healthcare cost analysis is performed on all patients receiving an initial newly introduced asthma treatment. There were slight increases in per patient per month (PPPM) costs for medical (non-study treatment) claims and outpatient ER visits, and larger decreases in asthma pharmacy. However, the combined impact of these changes is minimal compared to the increase in medical costs related to the study treatment. What is missing from this study is a measure of the impact that this new asthma treatment has on the patient's quality of life. Even though there was a small increase in Outpatient ER visits, there was a decrease in inpatient stays which can be assumed to significantly impact a patient's quality of life. What about the impact of the drug treatment itself? Unless we directly contact these patients and survey them personally, we can't.
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- The address information is for the authors that have a + after their name.
- Authors who are presenting talks have a * after their name.
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