Colon Cancer
Return to Library
|
Free Colon Cancer Articles |
|
|
|
|
Research from K.R. Yabroff et al has provided new information about medicare and medicaid
2009 AUG 3 - (NewsRx.com) -- "National prevalence costs of medical care can be key inputs in health policy decisions. Cost estimates vary across data sources, patient populations, and methods, however, the objective of this study was to compare 3 approaches for estimating the prevalence costs of colorectal cancer (CRC) care using different data sources, but similar patient populations and methods," scientists writing in the journal Medical Care report. "We identified prevalent CRC patients aged 65 and older from: (1) linked Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) registry-Medicare data, (2) Medicare claims only, and (3) the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS). Controls were matched by sex, age-group, and geographic location. Mean per person total and net costs, measured as the difference between patients and controls, were compared for each approach during a similar observation period. The SEER-Medicare approach was our reference, and we evaluated the impact of patient selection criteria with sensitivity analyses. Aggregate prevalence estimates were also compared. We found considerable variability across the different approaches to estimating prevalence costs of CRC. Mean net annual per person estimates in the SEER-Medicare reference were $5341 (95% CI: $5243, $5439), compared with $8736 (95% CI: $8203, $9269) for the Medicare claims only and $11,614 (95% CI: $7566, $15,663) for the MEPS. Aggregate national estimates of net prevalence costs of CRC in 2004 ranged from $4524 million, using the SEER-Medicare approach, to $9629 million, using the MEPS approach. Estimates varied by data source based on the payors included and identification of prevalent CRC patients. CRC prevalence cost estimates vary substantially depending on the data sources," wrote K.R. Yabroff and colleagues. The researchers concluded: "Our findings have implications for estimating prevalence costs for other cancers and other diseases without registry systems that can be used to identify newly diagnosed individuals as well as those diagnosed less recently.." Yabroff and colleagues published their study in Medical Care (Comparison of Approaches for Estimating Prevalence Costs of Care for Cancer Patients What Is the Impact of Data Source' Medical Care, 2009;47(7 Suppl. 1):S64-S69). Additional information can be obtained by contacting K.R. Yabroff, Applied Research Program, Health Service & Economics Branch, Execut Plaza N, Room 4005, 6130 Execut Blvd., MSC 734, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA. The publisher of the journal Medical Care can be contacted at: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 530 Walnut St., Philadelphia, PA 19106-3621, USA. Keywords: United States, Bethesda, Medicare and Medicaid, Colon Cancer, Colon Carcinoma, Colorectal Neoplasm, Epidemiology, Gastroenterology, Health Policy, Legislation, Medicare, Neoplasms, Oncology. This article was prepared by Clinical Oncology Week editors from staff and other reports. Copyright 2009, Clinical Oncology Week via NewsRx.com.
|
