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To determine whether a treating oncologist's characteristics are associated with variation in use of chemotherapy for patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (aNSCLC) at the end of life.Retrospective cohort.Using the 2009 Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results-Medicare database, we studied chemotherapy receipt within 30 days of death among Medicare enrollees who were diagnosed with aNSCLC between 1999 and 2006, received chemotherapy, and died within 3 years of diagnosis. A multilevel model was constructed to assess the contribution of patient and physician characteristics and geography to receiving chemotherapy within 30 days of death.Among 21,894 patients meeting eligibility criteria, 43.1% received chemotherapy within 30 days of death. In unadjusted bivariate analyses, female sex, Asian or black race, older age, and a greater number of comorbid diagnoses predicted lower likelihood of receiving chemotherapy at the end of life (P ≤.038 for all comparisons). Adjusting for patient and physician characteristics, physicians in small independent practices were substantially more likely than those employed in other practice models, particularly academic practices or nongovernment hospitals, to order chemotherapy for a patient in the last 30 days of life (P.001 for all comparisons); female physicians were less likely than males to prescribe such treatment (P = .04).Patients receiving care for aNSCLC in small independent oncology practices are more likely to receive chemotherapy in the last 30 days of life.

Many health programs struggle with low enrollment rates.To compare the characteristics of populations enrolled in a new health plan when employer groups implement voluntary versus automatic enrollment approaches.We analyzed enrollment rates resulting from 2 different strategies: voluntary and automatic enrollment. We used regression modeling to estimate the associations of patient characteristics with the probability of enrolling within each strategy. The subjects were 5014 eligible employees from 11 self-insured employers who had purchased the Diabetes Health Plan (DHP), which offers free or discounted copayments for diabetes related medications, testing supplies, and physician visits. Six employers used voluntary enrollment while 5 used automatic enrollment. The main outcome of interest was enrollment into the DHP. Predictors were gender, age, race/ethnicity, dependent status, household income, education level, number of comorbidities, and employer group.Overall, the proportion of eligible members who were enrolled within the automatic enrollment strategy was 91%, compared with 35% for voluntary enrollment. Income was a significant predictor for voluntary enrollment but not for automatic enrollment. Within automatic enrollment, covered dependents, Hispanics, and persons with 1 nondiabetes comorbidity were more likely to enroll than other subgroups. Employer group was also a significant correlate of enrollment. Notably, all demographic groups had higher DHP enrollment rates under automatic enrollment than under voluntary enrollment.For employer-based programs that struggle with low enrollment rates, especially among certain employee subgroups, an automatic enrollment strategy may not only increase the total number of enrollees but may also decrease some enrollment disparities.

To estimate the direct medical costs associated with type 2 diabetes, its complications, and its comorbidities among U.S. managed care patients.Data were from patient surveys, chart reviews, and health insurance claims for 7109 people with type 2 diabetes from 8 health plans participating in the Translating Research Into Action for Diabetes (TRIAD) study between 1999 and 2002.A generalized linear regression model was developed to estimate the association of patients' demographic characteristics, tobacco use status, treatments, related complications, and comorbidities with medical costs.The mean annualized direct medical cost was $2465 for a white man with type 2 diabetes who had been diagnosed fewer than 15 years earlier, was treated with oral medication or diet alone, and had no complications or comorbidities. We found annualized medical costs to be 10% to 50% higher for women and for patients whose diabetes had been diagnosed 15 or more years earlier, who used tobacco, who were being treated with insulin, or who had several other complications. Coronary heart disease, congestive heart failure, hemiplegia, and amputation were each associated with 70% to 150% higher costs. Costs were approximately 300% higher for end-stage renal disease treated with dialysis and approximately 500% higher for end-stage renal disease with kidney transplantation.Most medical costs incurred by patients with type 2 diabetes are related to complications and comorbidities. Our cost estimates can help when determining the most cost-effective interventions to prevent complications and comorbidities.

To study the effect of cost-sharing policy changes on utilization of test strips for self-monitoring of blood glucose.A legislative mandate (January 1, 2000) required California health plans to cover diabetes supplies, including those for self-monitoring of blood glucose. One health plan, Kaiser Permanente Northern California, initially waived established copayments and provided free test strips to members with diabetes mellitus for 2 years but later instituted a 20% coinsurance charge for a portion of their membership.A retrospective cohort design was used to study pharmacy-based estimates of test strip utilization changes during this natural experiment. Analyses included 2 cohort investigations using pretest-posttest analysis with control subjects to study transitions from a copayment period to a free test strip period and from the free test strip period to a coinsurance period.During the copayment period, test strip utilization was inversely related to copayments for test strips. Offering free test strips did not increase utilization, even among those paying higher copayments before the policy change. Price-elastic patterns formed before and during the copayment period persisted, despite receiving free test strips for 2 years. The coinsurance, introduced after 2 years of receiving free test strips, resulted in statistically significant (but not clinically relevant) decreased utilization (approximately 1-3 fewer test strips/month). Change patterns did not differ by socioeconomic status.Offering free test strips shifted costs from patient to health plan, without improving adherence. The introduced coinsurance slightly reduced utilization and adherence to recommendations about self-monitoring of blood glucose. Neither intervention had marked clinical effect. Cross-sectional analyses should not be used to predict utilization changes in the face of rapidly evolving benefit policies.

Physicians may be aware of at least 2 types of costs when prescribing: patient's out-of-pocket costs and the actual costs of the medication. We evaluated physicians' perceptions about relevant costs for prescription drugs and the importance of communication about these costs.Mailed survey to a random sample of 1200 physician members of the California Medical Association, and a phone survey of a sample of nonresponders.Descriptive statistics of survey items, McNemar's test to compare survey item responses, and logistic regression to evaluate the relationship between physician, practice, and system variables and physicians' perceptions of relevant medication costs.Of respondents with correct addresses, 49.6% responded to the survey; 13% of nonresponders were contacted by phone. Approximately 91% and 80% of physicians reported that it is important to manage patients' out-of-pocket costs and total medication costs, respectively. When comparing the relative importance of managing the 2 types of costs, 59% of physicians agreed that managing patients' out-of-pocket costs was more important than managing the total medication costs and only 16% disagreed. Physicians believed it was more important to discuss out-of-pocket costs than total costs with patients (P.0001), but only 15% of physicians reported discussing out-of-pocket costs frequently and 5% reported talking about total medication costs frequently. Physicians who managed more Medicare patients had a greater likelihood than physicians managing fewer Medicare patients of prioritizing out-of-pocket cost rather than total cost management (P = .038), and generalists had a greater likelihood than medical subspecialists (P = .046).Physicians prioritize managing out-of-pocket costs over total medication costs. Pharmacy benefit designs that use patient out-of-pocket cost incentives to influence utilization are addressing the costs to which physicians may be most responsive. When physicians face conflicts between managing patients' out-of-pocket costs and total costs, they will likely try to protect the patients' resources at the expense of the insurer or society. Efforts to align patients', insurers', and societies' incentives will simplify prescribing decisions and result in better value in prescribing.

Three-tier pharmaceutical benefit systems use graded co-payments to steer patients toward "preferred" formulary medications.To evaluate physicians' knowledge of formularies and out-of-pocket costs in such systems, as well as their perceived responsibility for helping patients manage out-of-pocket costs.Self-administered written survey.Physician leaders participating in the California Medical Association Leadership Conference were surveyed.A total of 133 responses were received from 205 participants (65% response rate). Physicians reported that they were often unaware of patients' out-of-pocket costs at the time of prescribing. Fifty-nine percent of physicians reported that they never or seldom were aware of patients' "preferred" (lower cost) formulary options when prescribing, and 70% never or seldom were aware of patients' out-of-pocket costs when prescribing. Although 88% of physicians agreed that it is important that patients' out-of-pocket costs for prescription drugs are managed, only 25% strongly or somewhat agreed that it is their "responsibility" to help. Instead, 69% of physicians believed that it is the responsibility of the pharmacist to be familiar with patients' out-of-pocket costs. Physicians reported that they receive phone calls from pharmacists concerning formulary issues after 18.6% of the prescriptions they write.Physician leaders reported that they often do not possess the knowledge to assist patients in managing out-of-pocket costs for prescription drugs and they depend on pharmacists to communicate patient preferences in making prescribing decisions. As a result, price preferences are communicated indirectly, likely less efficiently, rather than intentionally when prescribing decisions are made.