Table 6: Level 1 Findings: Cost and Economics of Therapeutics
CERT |
Population |
Findings |
HMO |
Diabetic patients |
Increasing co-pay of more that $10 for thirty day supply for oral hypoglycemics was associated with significantly reduced use. |
Duke |
Cardiac patients |
Examined economic effects of beta-blocker therapies. Found that there are no clear financial incentives for hospitals and physicians, even though social and Medicare costs decreased. |
Duke |
Cardiac patients |
Study projected the economic impact of drug-eluting stents on a hospital system (Duke Medical Center) $8.1 million loss was predicted in the first year and $8.7 million loss in subsequent years |
Alabama |
Arthritis patients |
Found that glucocorticoid users face non-negligible incremental health care costs compared to non-users. For an estimated one million chronic glucocorticoid users, the costs to the health care system would be over $1.2 billion annually in the U.S. alone for treatment of adverse effects attributed to glucocorticoids. |
Duke |
Cardiac patients |
Study evaluated the economic effects of extending the use of clopidogrel from one month to twelve months in patients who have received a percutaneous coronary intervention. Extending therapy cost $879 and reduced the risk of myocardial infarction by 2.6%. The cost would be $15,696 per life year saved. Thus, this potential change in practice appeared economically attractive. |
Return to Contents
Proceed to Table 7