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BACKGROUND: A cost-effectiveness model that accurately represents disease progression, outcomes, and associated costs is necessary to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of interventions for chronic kidney disease (CKD). STUDY DESIGN: We developed a microsimulation model of the incidence, progression, and treatment of CKD. The model was validated by comparing its predictions with survey and epidemiologic data sources. SETTING & POPULATION: US patients. MODEL, PERSPECTIVE, & TIMEFRAME: The model follows up disease progression in a cohort of simulated patients aged 30 until age 90 years or death. The model consists of 7 mutually exclusive states representing no CKD, 5 stages of CKD, and death. Progression through the stages is governed by a person's glomerular filtration rate and albuminuria status. Diabetes, hypertension, and other risk factors influence CKD and the development of CKD complications in the model. Costs are evaluated from the health care system perspective. INTERVENTION: Usual care, including incidental screening for persons with diabetes or hypertension. OUTCOMES: Progression to CKD stages, complications, and mortality. RESULTS: The model provides reasonably accurate estimates of CKD prevalence by stage. The model predicts that 47.1% of 30-year-olds will develop CKD during their lifetime, with 1.7%, 6.9%, 27.3%, 6.9%, and 4.4% ending at stages 1-5, respectively. Approximately 11% of persons who reach stage 3 will eventually progress to stage 5. The model also predicts that 3.7% of persons will develop end-stage renal disease compared with an estimate of 3.0% based on current end-stage renal disease lifetime incidence. LIMITATIONS: The model synthesizes data from multiple sources rather than a single source and relies on explicit assumptions about progression. The model does not include acute kidney failure. CONCLUSION: The model is well validated and can be used to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of CKD interventions. The model also can be updated as better data for CKD progression become available. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the cost-effectiveness of screening overweight and obese individuals for pre-diabetes and then modifying their lifestyle based on the Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP). RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: A Markov simulation model was used to estimate disease progression, costs, and quality of life. Cost-effectiveness was evaluated from a health care system perspective. We considered two screening/treatment strategies for pre-diabetes. Strategy 1 included screening overweight subjects and giving them the lifestyle intervention included in the DPP if they were diagnosed with both impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) and impaired fasting glucose (IFG). Strategy 2 included screening followed by lifestyle intervention for subjects diagnosed with either IGT or IFG or both. Each strategy was compared with a program of no screening. RESULTS: Screening for pre-diabetes and treating those identified as having both IGT and IFG with the DPP lifestyle intervention had a cost-effectiveness ratio of $8,181 per quality-adjusted life-year (QALY) relative to no screening. If treatment was also provided to subjects with only IGT or only IFG (strategy 2), the cost-effectiveness ratio increased to $9,511 per QALY. Changes in screening-related parameters had small effects on the cost-effectiveness ratios; the results were more sensitive to changes in intervention-related parameters. CONCLUSIONS: Screening for pre-diabetes in the overweight and obese U.S. population followed by the DPP lifestyle intervention has a relatively attractive cost-effectiveness ratio. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent information about osteoporosis treatments and their nonfracture side effects suggests the need for a new costeffectiveness analysis. The authors estimate the cost effectiveness of screening women for osteoporosis at age 65 and treating those who screen positive with hormone replacement therapy (HRT), raloxifene, or alendronate. A Markov model of osteoporosis disease progression simulates costs and outcomes of women aged 65 years. Incremental cost effectiveness ratios of screen-and-treat strategies are calculated relative to a no-screen, no-treat (NST) strategy. Disease progression parameters are derived from clinical trials; cost and quality-of-life parameters are based on review of cost databases and cost-effectiveness studies. Women are screened using dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry, and women screening positive are treated with HRT, raloxifene, or alendronate. Screening and treatment with HRT increase costs and lower quality-adjusted life years (QALYs; relative to the NST strategy). The only scenario (of several) in the sensitivity analysis in which HRT increases QALYs is when it is assumed that there are no drug-related (nonfracture) health effects. Raloxifene increases costs and QALYs; its cost-effectiveness ratio is $447,559 per QALY. When prescribed for the shortest duration modeled, raloxifene's cost-effectiveness ratio approached $133,000 per QALY. Alendronate is the most cost-effective strategy; its cost-effectiveness ratio is $72,877 per QALY. Alendronate's cost-effectiveness ratio approaches $55,000 per QALY when treatment effects last for 5 years or the discount rate is set to zero. The authors conclude that screening and treating with alendronate are more costeffective than screening and treating with raloxifene or HRT. Relative to an NST strategy, alendronate has a fairly good cost-effectiveness ratio. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) demonstrated that interventions can delay or prevent the development of type 2 diabetes.Objective: To estimate the lifetime cost-utility of the DPP interventions.Design: Markov simulation model to estimate progression of disease, costs, and quality of life.Data Sources: The DPP and published reports.Target Population: Members of the DPP cohort 25 years of age or older with impaired glucose tolerance.Time Horizon: Lifetime.Perspectives: Health system and societal.Interventions: Intensive lifestyle, metformin, and placebo interventions as implemented in the DPP.Outcome Measures: Cumulative incidence of diabetes, microvascular and neuropathic complications, cardiovascular complications, survival, direct medical and direct nonmedical costs, quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs), and cost per QALY.Results Of Base-case Analysis: Compared with the placebo intervention, the lifestyle and metformin interventions were estimated to delay the development of type 2 diabetes by 11 and 3 years, respectively, and to reduce the absolute incidence of diabetes by 20% and 8%, respectively. The cumulative incidence of microvascular, neuropathic, and cardiovascular complications were reduced and survival was improved by 0.5 and 0.2 years. Compared with the placebo intervention, the cost per QALY was approximately 1100 dollars for the lifestyle intervention and $31 300 for the metformin intervention. From a societal perspective, the interventions cost approximately 8800 dollars and 29,900 dollars per QALY, respectively. From both perspectives, the lifestyle intervention dominated the metformin intervention.Results Of Sensitivity Analysis: Cost-effectiveness improved when the interventions were implemented as they might be in routine clinical practice. The lifestyle intervention was cost-effective in all age groups. The metformin intervention did not represent good use of resources for persons older than 65 years of age.Limitations: Simulation results depend on the accuracy of the underlying assumptions, including participant adherence.Conclusions: Health policy should promote diabetes prevention in high-risk individuals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To estimate the fraction of United States (U.S.) adults who are eligible for treatment to reduce elevated low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels based on Adult Treatment Panel II (ATP II) guidelines and the percent reduction in LDL cholesterol required by those who qualify for treatment, we analyzed data on 7,423 respondents to Phase 2 of the third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III) administered between 1991 and 1994. Approximately 28% of the U.S. adult population aged > or = 20 years is eligible for treatment based on ATP II guidelines. Eighty-two percent of adults with coronary heart disease are not at their target LDL cholesterol level of 100 mg/dl. Of those eligible for treatment, 65% report that they receive no treatment. Overall, 40% of people who qualify for drug therapy require an LDL cholesterol reduction of > 30% to meet their ATP II treatment goal. Approximately 75% of those with coronary heart disease who qualify for drug therapy require an LDL cholesterol reduction of >30%. Although elevated LDL cholesterol levels can be treated, prevalence rates in the U.S. adult population remain high. Several recent studies indicate that a considerable percentage of people treated with drug therapy do not reach their treatment goals. The findings in this study provide at least a partial explanation for why many patients receiving therapy do not reach their treatment goals: they require a larger reduction in LDL cholesterol than many therapies can provide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To update state-specific estimates of diabetes-attributable costs in the U.S. and assess changes in spending from 2013 to 2021., Research Design and Methods: We used an attributable fraction approach to estimate direct medical costs of diagnosed diabetes using the 2021 State Health Expenditure Accounts, the 2021 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services 2018-2019 Minimum Data Set. We estimated diabetes-attributable productivity losses from morbidity and mortality using the 2016-2021 National Health Interview Survey and the 2021 mortality data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Costs were adjusted to 2021 U.S. dollars., Results: Total diabetes-attributable cost in 2021 was $640 billion ($335 billion in direct medical costs and $305 billion in indirect costs). The median state-level total diabetes-attributable cost was $8.2 billion (range $842 million to $81 billion). The median state-level per-person cost was $21,082, ranging from $17,452 to $37,090. Total diabetes-attributable cost increased by a median of 33% between 2013 and 2021, ranging from 16 to 68% across states. Medical costs increased by 50% overall (range 33-79%) and by 27% (range 15-41%) for per person with diabetes. Costs paid by Medicaid experienced the highest increase between 2013 and 2021 (median 153%; range 41-483%)., Conclusions: State economic costs of diagnosed diabetes are substantial and increased over the last decade. These costs and their growth vary considerably across states. These findings may help state policy makers in developing evidenced-based public health interventions in their respective states to prevent and control the prevalence of diabetes., (© 2024 by the American Diabetes Association.)

Objectives: This study aimed to develop a microsimulation model to estimate the health effects, costs, and cost-effectiveness of public health and clinical interventions for preventing/managing type 2 diabetes., Methods: We combined newly developed equations for complications, mortality, risk factor progression, patient utility, and cost-all based on US studies-in a microsimulation model. We performed internal and external validation of the model. To demonstrate the model's utility, we predicted remaining life-years, quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs), and lifetime medical cost for a representative cohort of 10 000 US adults with type 2 diabetes. We then estimated the cost-effectiveness of reducing hemoglobin A1c from 9% to 7% among adults with type 2 diabetes, using low-cost, generic, oral medications., Results: The model performed well in internal validation; the average absolute difference between simulated and observed incidence for 17 complications was < 8%. In external validation, the model was better at predicting outcomes in clinical trials than in observational studies. The cohort of US adults with type 2 diabetes was projected to have an average of 19.95 remaining life-years (from mean age 61), incur $187 729 in discounted medical costs, and accrue 8.79 discounted QALYs. The intervention to reduce hemoglobin A1c increased medical costs by $1256 and QALYs by 0.39, yielding an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of $9103 per QALY., Conclusions: Using equations exclusively derived from US studies, this new microsimulation model achieves good prediction accuracy in US populations. The model can be used to estimate the long-term health impact, costs, and cost-effectiveness of interventions for type 2 diabetes in the United States., (Copyright © 2023 International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Purpose and Objectives: The objective of our study was to model the costs and benefits of 2 screening criteria for people with gestational diabetes. Because people with a history of gestational diabetes are at increased risk for type 2 diabetes, we modeled the effects of a postdelivery intervention based on the Diabetes Prevention Program, which is offered to all people with a history of gestational diabetes defined by either set of criteria., Intervention Approach: We used a probabilistic decision tree model to compare the cost-effectiveness of the International Association of Diabetes in Pregnancy Study Group's (IADPSG's) screening criteria and the Carpenter-Coustan screening criteria for gestational diabetes through delivery and a follow-up period during which people might develop type 2 diabetes after pregnancy., Evaluation Methods: The model included perinatal outcomes for the infant and mother and a 10-year postdelivery period to model maternal progression to type 2 diabetes. The model assumed the health care system perspective. People with gestational diabetes received treatment for gestational diabetes during pregnancy, and we assumed that 10% would participate in a Diabetes Prevention Program-based postdelivery intervention to reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes. We estimated the cost-effectiveness of each screening strategy in quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) in 2022 dollars., Results: At 10% participation in a Diabetes Prevention Program-based postdelivery intervention, the Carpenter-Coustan criteria were cost-effective, compared with no screening ($66,085 per QALY). The IADPSG screening criteria were slightly less cost-effective, compared with no screening ($97,878 per QALY) or Carpenter-Coustan screening criteria ($122,279 per QALY). With participation rates of 23% or higher, the IADPSG screening criteria were highly cost-effective ($48,588 per QALY), compared with Carpenter-Coustan screening criteria., Implications for Public Health: Diagnosing a larger proportion of pregnant people using the IADPSG screening criteria, compared with using Carpenter-Coustan screening criteria, is not cost-effective at low levels of participation. However, with moderate levels of participation (23%) in a Diabetes Prevention Program-based postdelivery intervention, the expanded IADPSG screening criteria are cost-effective and reach up to 4 times as many people as Carpenter-Coustan screening.

Objective: To estimate the health utility impact of diabetes-related complications in a large, longitudinal U.S. sample of people with type 2 diabetes., Research Design and Methods: We combined Health Utilities Index Mark 3 data on patients with type 2 diabetes from the Action to Control Cardiovascular Risk in Diabetes (ACCORD) and Look AHEAD (Action for Health in Diabetes) trials and their follow-on studies. Complications were classified as events if they occurred in the year preceding the utility measurement; otherwise, they were classified as a history of the complication. We estimated utility decrements associated with complications using a fixed-effects regression model., Results: Our sample included 15,252 persons with an average follow-up of 8.2 years and a total of 128,873 person-visit observations. The largest, statistically significant ( P < 0.05) health utility decrements were for stroke (event, -0.109; history, -0.051), amputation (event, -0.092; history, -0.150), congestive heart failure (event, -0.051; history, -0.041), dialysis (event, -0.039), estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) <30 mL/min/1.73 m 2 (event, -0.043; history, -0.025), angina (history, -0.028), and myocardial infarction (MI) (event, -0.028). There were smaller effects for laser photocoagulation and eGFR <60 mL/min/1.73 m 2 . Decrements for dialysis history, angina event, MI history, revascularization event, revascularization history, laser photocoagulation event, and hypoglycemia were not significant ( P ≥ 0.05)., Conclusions: With use of a large study sample and a longitudinal design, our estimated health utility scores are expected to be largely unbiased. Estimates can be used to describe the health utility impact of diabetes complications, improve cost-effectiveness models, and inform diabetes policies., (© 2020 by the American Diabetes Association.)

Aims: To examine the cost-effectiveness of hepatitis C virus (HCV) treatment of people who inject drugs (PWID), combined with medication-assisted treatment (MAT) and syringe-service programs (SSP), to tackle the increasing HCV epidemic in the United States., Design: HCV transmission and disease progression models with cost-effectiveness analysis using a health-care perspective., Setting: Rural Perry County, KY (PC) and urban San Francisco, CA (SF), USA. Compared with PC, SF has a greater proportion of PWID with access to MAT or SSP. HCV treatment of PWID is negligible in both settings., Participants: PWID data were collected between 1998 and 2015 from Social Networks Among Appalachian People, U Find Out, Urban Health Study and National HIV Behavioral Surveillance System studies., Interventions and Comparator: Three intervention scenarios modeled: baseline-existing SSP and MAT coverage with HCV screening and treatment with direct-acting antiviral for ex-injectors only as per standard of care; intervention 1-scale-up of SSP and MAT without changes to treatment; and intervention 2-scale-up as intervention 1 combined with HCV screening and treatment for current PWID., Measurements: Incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) and uncertainty using cost-effectiveness acceptability curves. Benefits were measured in quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs)., Findings: For both settings, intervention 2 is preferred to intervention 1 and the appropriate comparator for intervention 2 is the baseline scenario. Relative to baseline, for PC intervention 2 averts 1852 more HCV infections, increases QALYS by 3095, costs $21.6 million more and has an ICER of $6975/QALY. For SF, intervention 2 averts 36 473 more HCV infections, increases QALYs by 7893, costs $872 million more and has an ICER of $11 044/QALY. The cost-effectiveness of intervention 2 was robust to several sensitivity analysis., Conclusions: Hepatitis C screening and treatment for people who inject drugs, combined with medication-assisted treatment and syringe-service programs, is a cost-effective strategy for reducing hepatitis C burden in the United States., (© 2019 Society for the Study of Addiction.)

Objectives: Patient navigation (PN) services have been shown to improve cancer screening in disparate populations. This study estimates the cost-effectiveness of implementing PN services within the National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program (NBCCEDP)., Methods: We adapted a breast cancer simulation model to estimate a population cohort of women aged 40-64 years from the NBCCEDP through their lifetime. We incorporated their screening frequency and screening and diagnostic costs., Results: Within the NBCCEDP, Program with PN (vs. No PN) resulted in a greater number of mammograms per woman (4.23 vs. 4.14), lower lifetime mortality from breast cancer (3.53% vs. 3.61%), and fewer missed diagnostic resolution per woman (0.017 vs. 0.025). The estimated incremental cost-effectiveness ratios for a Program with PN was $32,531 per quality-adjusted life-years relative to Program with No PN., Conclusions: Incorporating PN services within the NBCCEDP may be a cost-effective way of improving adherence to screening and diagnostic resolution for women who have abnormal results from screening mammography. Our study highlights the value of supportive services such as PN in improving the quality of care offered within the NBCCEDP.

In the United States, hepatitis C virus (HCV) transmission is rising among people who inject drugs (PWID). Many regions have insufficient prevention intervention coverage. Using modeling, we investigated the impact of scaling up prevention and treatment interventions on HCV transmission among PWID in Perry County, Kentucky, and San Francisco, California, where HCV seroprevalence among PWID is >50%. A greater proportion of PWID access medication-assisted treatment (MAT) or syringe service programs (SSP) in urban San Francisco (established community) than in rural Perry County (young, expanding community). We modeled the proportion of HCV-infected PWID needing HCV treatment annually to reduce HCV incidence by 90% by 2030, with and without MAT scale-up (50% coverage, both settings) and SSP scale-up (Perry County only) from 2017. With current MAT and SSP coverage during 2017-2030, HCV incidence would increase in Perry County (from 21.3 to 22.6 per 100 person-years) and decrease in San Francisco (from 12.9 to 11.9 per 100 person-years). With concurrent MAT and SSP scale-up, 5% per year of HCV-infected PWID would need HCV treatment in Perry County to achieve incidence targets-13% per year without MAT and SSP scale-up. In San Francisco, a similar proportion would need HCV treatment (10% per year) irrespective of MAT scale-up. Reaching the same impact by 2025 would require increases in treatment rates of 45%-82%. Achievable provision of HCV treatment, alongside MAT and SSP scale-up (Perry County) and MAT scale-up (San Francisco), could reduce HCV incidence., (© The Author(s) 2019. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Purpose: To estimate the cost-effectiveness of breast cancer screening in the National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program (NBCCEDP)., Methods: Using a modified CISNET breast cancer simulation model, we estimated outcomes for women aged 40-64 years associated with three scenarios: breast cancer screening within the NBCCEDP, screening in the absence of the NBCCEDP (no program), and no screening through any program. We report screening outcomes, cost, quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs), incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs), and sensitivity analyses results., Results: Compared with no program and no screening, the NBCCEDP lowers breast cancer mortality and improves QALYs, but raises health care costs. Base-case ICER for the program was $51,754/QALY versus no program and $50,223/QALY versus no screening. Probabilistic sensitivity analysis ICER for the program was $56,615/QALY [95% CI $24,069, $134,230/QALY] versus no program and $51,096/QALY gained [95% CI $26,423, $97,315/QALY] versus no screening., Conclusions: On average, breast cancer screening in the NBCCEDP was cost-effective compared with no program or no screening.

Purpose of Review: The purpose of this review is to provide current synthesis of the evidence on the cost-effectiveness of bariatric surgery for persons with diabetes., Recent Findings: Virtually, every study that has evaluated the cost-effectiveness of bariatric surgery for persons who are obese and have type 2 diabetes has concluded that surgery is cost-effective. A few studies outside the USA found that surgery is cost-saving. Currently, most but not all US insurers cover bariatric surgery in persons with type 2 diabetes and BMI ≥ 35 kg/m 2 . Bariatric surgery is a cost-effective treatment for persons with type 2 diabetes and BMI ≥ 35 kg/m 2 . There is interest in extending surgery to persons with diabetes and lower BMI; the cost-effectiveness of treating these individuals with bariatric surgery should be explored. Despite the potential benefits, not all obese or overweight persons with diabetes will choose surgery.

Introduction: This study evaluates the effect of program and incentive characteristics on satisfaction with incentives and perceived impact of incentives on behavior change among Medicaid beneficiaries who participated in the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Medicaid Incentives for Prevention of Chronic Diseases program., Methods: In 2014-2015, an English- and Spanish-language survey was administered to Medicaid Incentives for Prevention of Chronic Diseases program participants about their satisfaction with incentives and perceived impact of incentives. Completed surveys were received from 2,276 eligible sample members (response rate=52.7%). In 2016-2017, multilevel, multivariable, ordinal logistic regression models were performed to examine program characteristics that predict outcomes, while controlling for respondent characteristics., Results: Medicaid Incentives for Prevention of Chronic Diseases participants were satisfied with program incentives. Most survey respondents strongly agreed that they liked getting incentives for taking care of their health (78%), they were happy with the incentives overall (75%), the incentives were fair (73%), and they liked how often they received incentives (67%). Participants in programs delivered by telephone reported higher satisfaction with incentives compared with those in programs delivered in person. However, participants in programs delivered both in person and by telephone were more likely to perceive a positive impact of incentives. Incentive form was a significant predictor of satisfaction with incentives but not of incentive impact. Dollar amount of incentives influenced satisfaction with incentives and impact of incentives., Conclusions: Program delivery method, incentive form, and incentive magnitude are important characteristics to consider when designing incentive programs. Incentive programs can consider providing modest incentive amounts to achieve self-reported impact on behavior change., (Copyright © 2019 American Journal of Preventive Medicine. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Limited information is available on the health burden of diabetes at the state level. This study estimated state-specific attributable fractions and the number of cases attributable to diabetes for diabetes-related complications., Methods: For each state, diabetes-attributable fractions for nine diabetes complications were estimated: three self-reported complications from the 2013 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, hospitalizations with three complications from 2011 to 2014 State Inpatient Databases, and three complications from 2013 Medicare data. Attributable fractions were calculated using RR and diabetes prevalence and the total number of cases using attributable fractions and total number of complications. Adjusted RR of each complication for people with and without diabetes by age and sex was estimated using a generalized linear model. Analyses were conducted in 2015-2016., Results: Median state-level diabetes-attributable fractions for self-reported complications were 0.14 (range, 0.10-0.19) for mobility limitations; 0.13 (range, 0.04-0.21) for limitations in instrumental activities of daily living; and 0.12 (range, 0.06-0.20) for severe visual impairment or blindness. Median state-level diabetes-attributable fractions for diabetes-associated hospitalizations were 0.19 (range, 0.08-0.24) for congestive heart failure; 0.08 (range, 0.02-0.16) for myocardial infarction; and 0.62 (range, 0.46-0.73) for lower extremity amputations. Median state-level diabetes-attributable fractions for complications among Medicare beneficiaries were 0.17 (range, 0.14-0.23) for coronary heart disease; 0.28 (range, 0.24-0.33) for chronic kidney disease; and 0.22 (range, 0.08-0.32) for peripheral vascular disease., Conclusions: Diabetes carries a significant health burden, and results vary across states. Efforts to prevent or delay diabetes or to improve diabetes management could reduce the health burden because of diabetes., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services provided grants to Medicaid programs through the Medicaid Incentives for Prevention of Chronic Diseases program to test whether financial incentives changed the use of healthcare services, Medicaid spending, and health outcomes. Six states implemented programs related to diabetes prevention, weight management, diabetes management, and hypertension management. The purpose of this study is to examine whether receipt of financial incentives increased use of services incentivized by the program; reduced expenditures, inpatient admissions, emergency department visits; and improved health outcomes., Methods: State data on program participation and incentives (between 2011 and 2015) and 2 years of Medicaid claims data pre-Medicaid Incentives for Prevention of Chronic Diseases enrollment and >2 years of claims data after enrollment were analyzed using covariate-adjusted regression analyses. Negative binomial, logistic, and linear regressions were used, depending on the outcome variable of interest (services, inpatient admissions and emergency department visits, and total expenditures). Analyses were conducted in 2015 and 2016., Results: Incentive recipients attended, on average, one to two more diabetes prevention classes than control participants, but incentives did not significantly improve uptake of other types of services, such as meetings with a health coach or doctor, gym visits, or attendance at Weight Watchers meetings. Modest improvements in health outcomes, such as weight loss, were observed, yet there were very few significant changes in inpatient admissions, emergency department visits, and Medicaid expenditures., Conclusions: Financial incentives are useful for engaging Medicaid enrollees in disease prevention programs, but program engagement may not necessarily lead to changing patterns of healthcare utilization and expenditures in the short run., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To estimate direct medical and indirect costs attributable to diabetes in each U.S. state in total and per person with diabetes., Research Design and Methods: We used an attributable fraction approach to estimate direct medical costs using data from the 2013 State Health Expenditure Accounts, 2013 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services' 2013-2014 Minimum Data Set. We used a human capital approach to estimate indirect costs measured by lost productivity from morbidity (absenteeism, presenteeism, lost household productivity, and inability to work) and premature mortality, using the 2008-2013 National Health Interview Survey, 2013 daily housework value data, 2013 mortality data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Wide-ranging Online Data for Epidemiologic Research, and mean wages from the 2014 Bureau of Labor Statistics. Costs were adjusted to 2017 U.S. dollars., Results: The estimated median state economic cost was $5.9 billion, ranging from $694 million to $55.5 billion, in total and $18,248, ranging from $15,418 to $30,915, per person with diabetes. The corresponding estimates for direct medical costs were $2.8 billion (range $0.3-22.9) and $8,544 (range $6,591-12,953) and for indirect costs were $3.0 billion (range $0.4-32.6) and $9,672 (range $7,133-17,962). In general, the estimated state median indirect costs resulting from morbidity were larger than costs from mortality both in total and per person with diabetes., Conclusions: Economic costs attributable to diabetes were large and varied widely across states. Our comprehensive state-specific estimates provide essential information needed by state policymakers to monitor the economic burden of the disease and to better plan and evaluate interventions for preventing type 2 diabetes and managing diabetes in their states., (© 2018 by the American Diabetes Association.)

ObjectiveWe examined Medicaid enrollees' experiences and satisfaction with financial incentives-based chronic disease prevention programs in 10 states. MethodsThis cross-site study of the Medicaid Incentives for Prevention of Chronic Diseases model used a mixed-methods approach to assess Medicaid enrollees' experiences and satisfaction with the incentive programs. We conducted 31 in-person focus groups with 212 program participants, followed by a mail survey in English and Spanish (N = 2274). We used both the qualitative focus group data and the quantitative survey data to examine participant satisfaction with the incentives, along with differences by program and incentive characteristics. ResultsOverall, focus group and survey findings aligned, with participants reporting satisfaction with program incentives. Participants felt that the incentives helped them make positive changes to improve their health. Nevertheless, satisfaction varied considerably depending on characteristics of the program, such as the form and magnitude of the incentive, health focus of the program, and program delivery method. ConclusionsProgram and incentive characteristics play key roles in participants' satisfaction and experience with incentive-based, chronic disease prevention programs. Further research is required to examine the optimal design of incentive programs to support sustained behavior change.

Purpose: To estimate state-level diabetes-attributable deaths and years of life lost (YLL) in the Unites States., Methods: We estimated diabetes-attributable all-cause and cardiovascular disease (CVD) deaths by age, sex, and state, using the attributable fraction approach. Data on diabetes prevalence were collected from Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. Relative risks for people with and without diabetes were estimated using the National Health Interview Survey. State-sex-age-specific deaths were obtained from CDC WONDER. YLL were calculated by multiplying the number of people with diabetes by the difference in life expectancy between people with and without diabetes using the life table approach., Results: Nationally, estimated diabetes-attributable all-cause deaths and CVD deaths were 293,224 and 90,953, respectively. Diabetes resulted in a total of 109,707,000 YLL with an average 4.4 years of life lost per person with diabetes. Most state variation in total deaths was explained by state population size and diabetes prevalence. All-cause deaths ranged from 415 in Alaska to 28,538 in California, and CVD deaths ranged from 113 in Alaska to 8908 in California. Across all states, the average diabetes-attributable death rate per 100,000 was 125 for males and 105 for females for all-cause deaths and 40 for males and 31 for females for CVD deaths., Conclusions: Mortality attributable to diabetes is greatly underestimated when looking only at diabetes listed as an underlying cause of death. These results can be used to track state differences in deaths due to diabetes and to monitor the success of public health activities., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Rationale & Objective: As the prevalence of obesity continues to rise in the United States, it is important to understand its impact on the lifetime risk of chronic kidney disease (CKD)., Study Design: The CKD Health Policy Model was used to simulate the lifetime risk of CKD for those with and without obesity at baseline. Model structure was updated for glomerular filtration rate (GFR) decline to incorporate new longitudinal data from the Chronic Renal Insufficiency Cohort (CRIC) study., Setting and Population: The updated model was populated with a nationally representative cohort from National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES)., Outcomes: Lifetime risk of CKD, highest stage and any stage., Model, Perspective, & Timeframe: Simulation model following up individuals from current age through death or age 90 years., Results: Lifetime risk of any CKD stage was 32.5% (95% CI 28.6%-36.3%) for persons with normal weight, 37.6% (95% CI 33.5%-41.7%) for persons who were overweight, and 41.0% (95% CI 36.7%-45.3%) for persons with obesity at baseline. The difference between persons with normal weight and persons with obesity at baseline was statistically significant (p<0.01). Lifetime risk of CKD stages 4 and 5 was higher for persons with obesity at baseline (Stage 4: 2.1%, 95% CI 0.9%-3.3%; stage 5: 0.6%, 95% CI 0.0%-1.1%), but the differences were not statistically significant (stage 4: p = 0.08; stage 5: p = 0.23)., Limitations: Due to limited data, our simulation model estimates are based on assumptions about the causal pathways from obesity to CKD, diabetes, and hypertension., Conclusions: The results of this study indicate that obesity may have a large impact on the lifetime risk of CKD. This is important information for policymakers seeking to set priorities and targets for CKD prevention and treatment., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Objective: To estimate the diabetes-attributable nursing home costs for each state., Research Design and Methods: We used a diabetes-attributable fraction (AF) approach to estimate nursing home costs attributable to diabetes (in 2013 dollars) in aggregate and per person with diabetes in each state. We calculated the AFs as the difference in diabetes prevalence between nursing homes and the community. We used the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services 2013-2015 Minimum Data Set to estimate the prevalence of diabetes in nursing homes and to adjust for the intensity of care among people with diabetes in nursing homes. Community prevalence was estimated using the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS). State nursing home expenditures were from the 2013 State Health Expenditure Accounts., Results: The fraction of total nursing home expenditures attributable to diabetes ranged from 12.3% (Illinois) to 22.5% (Washington, DC; median AF of 15.6%, New Jersey). The median AF was highest in the 19-64 years age-group and lowest in the 85 years or older age-group. Nationally, diabetes-attributable nursing home costs were $18.6 billion. State-level diabetes-attributable costs ranged from $21 million in Alaska to $2.0 billion in California. Diabetes-attributable nursing home costs per person ranged from $374 in New Mexico to $1,610 in Washington, DC (median of $799 in Maine)., Conclusions: Our estimates provide state policymakers with an improved understanding of the economic burden of diabetes in each state's nursing homes. These estimates could serve as critical inputs for planning and evaluating diabetes prevention and management interventions that can keep people healthier and living longer in their communities., (© 2018 by the American Diabetes Association.)

Objective: To estimate age-specific risk equations for type 2 diabetes onset in young, middle-aged, and older US adults, and to compare the performance of simple equations based on readily available demographic information alone, against enhanced equations that require both demographic and clinical information (fasting plasma glucose, high-density lipoprotein, and triglyceride levels)., Research Design and Methods: We estimated the probability of developing diabetes by age group using data from the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (for ages 18-40 years), Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (for ages 45-64 years), and the Cardiovascular Health Study (for ages 65 years and older). Simple and enhanced equations were estimated using logistic regression models, and performance was compared by age group. Thresholds based on these risk equations were evaluated using split-sample bootstraps and calibrating the constant of one age cohort to others., Results: Simple risk equations had an area under the receiver-operating curve (AUROC) of 0.72, 0.79, 0.75, and 0.69 for age groups 18-30, 28-40, 45-64, and 65 and older, respectively. The corresponding AUROCs for enhanced equations were 0.75, 0.85, 0.85, and 0.81. Risk equations based on younger populations, when applied to older cohorts, underpredict diabetes incidence and risk. Conversely, risk equations based on older populations overpredict the likelihood of diabetes in younger cohorts., Conclusions: In general, risk equations are more successful in middle-aged adults than in young and old populations. The results demonstrate the importance of applying age-specific risk equations to identify target populations for intervention. While the predictive capacity of equations that include biomarkers is better than of those based solely on self-reported variables, biomarkers are more important in older populations than in younger ones., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared.

Background: Better treatment during early stages of chronic kidney disease (CKD) may slow progression to end-stage renal disease and decrease associated complications and medical costs. Achieving early treatment of CKD is challenging, however, because a large fraction of persons with CKD are unaware of having this disease. Screening for CKD is one important method for increasing awareness. We examined the cost-effectiveness of identifying persons for early-stage CKD screening (i.e., screening for moderate albuminuria) using published CKD risk scores., Methods: We used the CKD Health Policy Model, a micro-simulation model, to simulate the cost-effectiveness of using CKD two published risk scores by Bang et al. and Kshirsagar et al. to identify persons in the US for CKD screening with testing for albuminuria. Alternative risk score thresholds were tested (0.20, 0.15, 0.10, 0.05, and 0.02) above which persons were assigned to receive screening at alternative intervals (1-, 2-, and 5-year) for follow-up screening if the first screening was negative. We examined incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs), incremental lifetime costs divided by incremental lifetime QALYs, relative to the next higher screening threshold to assess cost-effectiveness. Cost-effective scenarios were determined as those with ICERs less than $50,000 per QALY. Among the cost-effective scenarios, the optimal scenario was determined as the one that resulted in the highest lifetime QALYs., Results: ICERs ranged from $8,823 per QALY to $124,626 per QALY for the Bang et al. risk score and $6,342 per QALY to $405,861 per QALY for the Kshirsagar et al. risk score. The Bang et al. risk score with a threshold of 0.02 and 2-year follow-up screening was found to be optimal because it had an ICER less than $50,000 per QALY and resulted in the highest lifetime QALYs., Conclusions: This study indicates that using these CKD risk scores may allow clinicians to cost-effectively identify a broader population for CKD screening with testing for albuminuria and potentially detect people with CKD at earlier stages of the disease than current approaches of screening only persons with diabetes or hypertension.

The YMCA of the USA received a Health Care Innovation Award from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to provide a diabetes prevention program to Medicare beneficiaries with prediabetes in seventeen regional networks of participating YMCAs nationwide. The goal of the program is to help participants lose weight and increase physical activity. We tested whether the program reduced medical spending and utilization in the Medicare population. Using claims data to compute total medical costs for fee-for-service Medicare participants and a matched comparison group of nonparticipants, we found that the overall weighted average savings per member per quarter during the first three years of the intervention period was $278. Total decreases in inpatient admissions and emergency department (ED) visits were significant, with nine fewer inpatient stays and nine fewer ED visits per 1,000 participants per quarter. These results justify continued support of the model., (Project HOPE—The People-to-People Health Foundation, Inc.)

Introduction: In 2010, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention funded 50 communities to participate in the Communities Putting Prevention to Work (CPPW) program. CPPW supported community-based approaches to prevent or delay chronic disease and promote wellness by reducing tobacco use and obesity. We collected the direct costs of CPPW for the 44 communities funded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) and analyzed costs per person reached for all CPPW interventions and by intervention category., Methods: From 2011 through 2013, we collected quarterly data on costs from the 44 CPPW ARRA-funded communities. We estimated CPPW program costs as spending on labor; consultants; materials, travel, and services; overhead activities; and partners plus the value of in-kind donations. We estimated communities' costs per person reached for each intervention implemented and compared cost allocations across communities that focused on reducing tobacco use, or obesity, or both. Analyses were conducted in 2014; costs are reported in 2012 dollars., Results: The largest share of CPPW total costs of $363 million supported interventions in communities that focused on obesity ($228 million). Average costs per person reached were less than $5 for 84% of tobacco-related interventions, 88% of nutrition interventions, and 89% of physical activity interventions. Costs per person reached were highest for social support and services interventions, almost $3 for tobacco‑use interventions and $1 for obesity prevention interventions., Conclusions: CPPW cost estimates are useful for comparing intervention cost per person reached with health outcomes and for addressing how community health intervention costs vary by type of intervention and by community size.

Background: Although major guidelines uniformly recommend iron supplementation and erythropoietin stimulating agents (ESAs) for managing chronic anemia in persons with chronic kidney disease (CKD), there are differences in the recommended hemoglobin (Hb) treatment target and no guidelines consider the costs or cost-effectiveness of treatment. In this study, we explored the most cost-effective Hb target for anemia treatment in persons with CKD stages 3-4., Methods and Findings: The CKD Health Policy Model was populated with a synthetic cohort of persons over age 30 with prevalent CKD stages 3-4 (i.e., not on dialysis) and anemia created from the 1999-2010 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs), computed as incremental cost divided by incremental quality adjusted life years (QALYs), were assessed for Hb targets of 10 g/dl to 13 g/dl at 0.5 g/dl increments. Targeting a Hb of 10 g/dl resulted in an ICER of $32,111 compared with no treatment and targeting a Hb of 10.5 g/dl resulted in an ICER of $32,475 compared with a Hb target of 10 g/dl. QALYs increased to 4.63 for a Hb target of 10 g/dl and to 4.75 for a target of 10.5 g/dl or 11 g/dl. Any treatment target above 11 g/dl increased medical costs and decreased QALYs., Conclusions: In persons over age 30 with CKD stages 3-4, anemia treatment is most cost-effective when targeting a Hb level of 10.5 g/dl. This study provides important information for framing guidelines related to treatment of anemia in persons with CKD.

Under the Medicaid Incentives for the Prevention of Chronic Diseases model, 10 states are testing whether incentives can encourage Medicaid beneficiaries to lose weight, stop smoking, work to prevent diabetes, or control risk factors for other chronic diseases. This commentary describes these incentive programs and how they will be evaluated., (©2015 by the North Carolina Institute of Medicine and The Duke Endowment. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Medicare coverage recently was expanded to include intensive behavioral therapy for obese individuals in primary care settings., Purpose: To examine the potential cost effectiveness of Medicare's intensive behavioral therapy for obesity, accounting for uncertainty in effectiveness and utilization., Methods: A Markov simulation model of type 2 diabetes was used to estimate long-term health benefits and healthcare system costs of intensive behavioral therapy for obesity in the Medicare population without diabetes relative to an alternative of usual care. Cohort statistics were based on the 2005-2008 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Model parameters were derived from the literature. Analyses were conducted in 2014 and reported in 2012 U.S. dollars., Results: Based on assumptions for the maximal intervention effectiveness, intensive behavioral therapy is likely to be cost saving if costs per session equal the current reimbursement rate ($25.19) and will provide a cost-effectiveness ratio of $20,912 per quality-adjusted life-year if costs equal the rate for routine office visits. The intervention is less cost effective if it is less effective in primary care settings or if fewer intervention sessions are supplied by providers or used by participants., Conclusions: If the effectiveness of the intervention is similar to lifestyle interventions tested in other settings and costs per session equal the current reimbursement rate, intensive behavioral therapy for obesity offers good value. However, intervention effectiveness and the pattern of implementation and utilization strongly influence cost effectiveness. Given uncertainty regarding these factors, additional data might be collected to validate the modeling results., (Copyright © 2015 American Journal of Preventive Medicine. All rights reserved.)

Background: Awareness of chronic kidney disease (CKD), defined by kidney damage or reduced glomerular filtration rate, remains low in the United States, and few estimates of its future burden exist., Study Design: We used the CKD Health Policy Model to simulate the residual lifetime incidence of CKD and project the prevalence of CKD in 2020 and 2030. The simulation sample was based on nationally representative data from the 1999 to 2010 National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys., Setting & Population: Current US population., Model, Perspective, & Timeline: Simulation model following up individuals from current age through death or age 90 years., Outcomes: Residual lifetime incidence represents the projected percentage of persons who will develop new CKD during their lifetimes. Future prevalence is projected for 2020 and 2030., Measurements: Development and progression of CKD are based on annual decrements in estimated glomerular filtration rates that depend on age and risk factors., Results: For US adults aged 30 to 49, 50 to 64, and 65 years or older with no CKD at baseline, the residual lifetime incidences of CKD are 54%, 52%, and 42%, respectively. The prevalence of CKD in adults 30 years or older is projected to increase from 13.2% currently to 14.4% in 2020 and 16.7% in 2030., Limitations: Due to limited data, our simulation model estimates are based on assumptions about annual decrements in estimated glomerular filtration rates., Conclusions: For an individual, lifetime risk of CKD is high, with more than half the US adults aged 30 to 64 years likely to develop CKD. Knowing the lifetime incidence of CKD may raise individuals' awareness and encourage them to take steps to prevent CKD. From a national burden perspective, we estimate that the population prevalence of CKD will increase in coming decades, suggesting that development of interventions to slow CKD onset and progression should be considered., (Copyright © 2015 National Kidney Foundation, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Alliance programs implemented multilevel, multicomponent programs inspired by the chronic care model and aimed at reducing health and health care disparities for program participants. A unique characteristic of the Alliance programs is that they did not use a fixed implementation strategy common to programs using the chronic care model but instead focused on strategies that met local community needs. Using data provided by the five programs involved in the Alliance, this evaluation shows that of the 1,827 participants for which baseline and follow-up data were available, the program participants experienced significant decreases in hemoglobin A1c and blood pressure compared with a comparison group. A significant time by study group interaction was observed for hemoglobin A1c as well. Over time, more program participants met quality indicators for hemoglobin A1c and blood pressure. Those participants who attended self-management classes and experienced more resources and support for self-management attained more benefit. In addition, program participants experienced more diabetes competence, increased quality of life, and improvements in diabetes self-care behaviors. The cost-effectiveness of programs ranged from $23,161 to $61,011 per quality-adjusted life year. In sum, the Alliance programs reduced disparities and health care disparities for program participants., (© 2014 Society for Public Health Education.)

Background: The benefits of the National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program (NBCCEDP) on cervical cancer screening for participating uninsured low-income women have never been measured., Purpose: To estimate the benefits in life-years (LYs) gained; quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) gained; and deaths averted., Methods: A cervical cancer simulation model was constructed based on an existing cohort model. The model was applied to NBCCEDP participants aged 18-64 years. Screening habits for uninsured low-income women were estimated using National Health Interview Survey data from 1990 to 2005 and NBCCEDP data from 1991 to 2007. The study was conducted during 2011-2012 and covered all 68 NBCCEDP grantees in 50 states, the District of Columbia, five U.S. territories, and 12 tribal organizations. Separate simulations were performed for the following three scenarios: (1) women who received NBCCEDP (Program) screening; (2) women who received screening without the program (No Program); and (3) women who received no screening (No Screening)., Results: Among 1.8 million women screened in 1991-2007, the Program added 10,369 LYs gained compared to No Program, and 101,509 LYs gained compared to No Screening. The Program prevented 325 women from dying of cervical cancer relative to No Program, and 3,829 relative to No Screening. During this time period, the Program accounted for 15,589 QALYs gained when compared with No Program, and 121,529 QALYs gained when compared with No Screening., Conclusions: These estimates suggest that NBCCEDP cervical cancer screening has reduced mortality among medically underserved low-income women who participated in the program., (Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Background: Community-based programs require substantial investments of resources; however, evaluations of these programs usually lack analyses of program costs. Costs of community-based programs reported in previous literature are limited and have been estimated retrospectively., Purpose: To describe a prospective cost data collection approach developed for the Communities Putting Prevention to Work (CPPW) program capturing costs for community-based tobacco use and obesity prevention strategies., Methods: A web-based cost data collection instrument was developed using an activity-based costing approach. Respondents reported quarterly expenditures on labor; consultants; materials, travel, and services; overhead; partner efforts; and in-kind contributions. Costs were allocated across CPPW objectives and strategies organized around five categories: media, access, point of decision/promotion, price, and social support and services. The instrument was developed in 2010, quarterly data collections took place in 2011-2013, and preliminary analysis was conducted in 2013., Results: Preliminary descriptive statistics are presented for the cost data collected from 51 respondents. More than 50% of program costs were for partner organizations, and over 20% of costs were for labor hours. Tobacco communities devoted the majority of their efforts to media strategies. Obesity communities spent more than half of their resources on access strategies., Conclusions: Collecting accurate cost information on health promotion and disease prevention programs presents many challenges. The approach presented in this paper is one of the first efforts successfully collecting these types of data and can be replicated for collecting costs from other programs., (Copyright © 2014 American Journal of Preventive Medicine. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To examine the cost-effectiveness of pre- and postexposure approaches for ensuring hepatitis B protection among previously vaccinated healthcare personnel (HCP)., Design: A decision-analytic model was developed for alternative strategies of ensuring hepatitis B protection under assumptions of 68% and 95% long-term protection after a primary vaccination series. Costs and quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) lost from infections were estimated, and incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) were calculated relative to a no intervention alternative over 10 years of intervention. Separate analyses were performed for trainees and nontrainees, using the healthcare system perspective. Trainees face higher risk of exposure and likely received primary vaccination as infants., Setting: General healthcare settings., Participants: Trainee and nontrainee HCP., Interventions: Preexposure testing for antibody to hepatitis B surface antigen followed by additional vaccination for HCP without protective antibody levels; postexposure evaluation and management for HCP reporting blood or body fluid exposures, Results: The preexposure strategy prevents more infections and has higher costs than the postexposure strategy or no intervention. For trainees, 10-year preexposure evaluation ICERs are $832,875 and $144,457 per QALY for 95% and 68% long-term vaccine protection, respectively. Trainee 10-year postexposure evaluation ICERs are $1,146,660 and $191,579 per QALY under the 95% and 68% long-term protection assumptions, respectively. For nontrainees, 10-year ICERs are $745,739 and $1,129,286 per QALY for the preexposure and postexposure evaluation strategies, respectively., Conclusions: ICERs may inform decision makers as they decide whether the added cost of the preexposure strategy provides sufficient value in preventing infections.

Objective: To analyze the cost-effectiveness of the national Perinatal Hepatitis B Prevention Program (PHBPP) over the lifetime of the 2009 US birth cohort and compare the costs and outcomes of the program to a scenario without PHBPP support. PHBPP's goals are to ensure all infants born to hepatitis B (HepB) surface antigen-positive women receive timely postexposure prophylaxis, complete HepB vaccine series, and obtain serologic testing after series completion., Methods: A decision analytic tree and a long-term Markov model represented the risk of perinatal and childhood infections under different prevention alternatives, and the long-term health and economic consequences of HepB infection. Outcome measures were the number of perinatal infections and childhood infections from infants born to HepB surface antigen-positive women, quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs), lifetime costs, and incremental cost per QALY gained. The health outcomes and total costs of each strategy were compared incrementally. Costs were evaluated from the health care system perspective and expressed in US dollars at a 2010 price base., Results: In all analyses, the PHBPP increased QALYs and led to higher reductions in the number of perinatal and childhood infections than no PHBPP, with a cost-effectiveness ratio of $2602 per QALY. In sensitivity analyses, the cost-effectiveness ratio was robust to variations in model inputs, and there were instances where the program was both more effective and cost saving., Conclusions: This study indicated that the current PHBPP represents a cost-effective use of resources, and ensuring the program reaches all pregnant women could present additional public health benefits.

Background: Lifetime direct medical cost of treating type 2 diabetes and diabetic complications in the U.S. is unknown., Purpose: This study provides nationally representative estimates of lifetime direct medical costs of treating type 2 diabetes and diabetic complications in people newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, by gender and by age at diagnosis., Methods: A type 2 diabetes simulation model was used to simulate the disease progression and direct medical costs among a cohort of newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes patients. The study sample used for the simulation was based on data from the 2009-2010 National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey. The costs of treating type 2 diabetes and diabetic complications were derived from published literature. Annual medical costs were accumulated over the life span of type 2 diabetes to determine the lifetime medical costs. All costs were calculated from a healthcare system perspective, and expressed in 2012 dollars., Results: In men diagnosed with type 2 diabetes at ages 25-44 years, 45-54 years, 55-64 years, and ≥ 65 years, the lifetime direct medical costs of treating type 2 diabetes and diabetic complications were $124,700, $106,200, $84,000, and $54,700, respectively. In women, the costs were $130,800, $110,400, $85,500, and $56,600, respectively. The age-gender weighted average of the lifetime medical costs was $85,200, of which 53% was due to treating diabetic complications. The cost of managing macrovascular complications accounted for 57% of the total complication cost., Conclusions: Over the lifetime, type 2 diabetes imposes a substantial economic burden on healthcare systems. Effective interventions that prevent or delay type 2 diabetes and diabetic complications might result in substantial long-term savings in healthcare costs., (Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Estimates of the medical costs associated with different stages of CKD are needed to assess the economic benefits of interventions that slow the progression of kidney disease. We combined laboratory data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey with expenditure data from Medicare claims to estimate the Medicare program's annual costs that were attributable to CKD stage 1-4. The Medicare costs for persons who have stage 1 kidney disease were not significantly different from zero. Per person annual Medicare expenses attributable to CKD were $1700 for stage 2, $3500 for stage 3, and $12,700 for stage 4, adjusted to 2010 dollars. Our findings suggest that the medical costs attributable to CKD are substantial among Medicare beneficiaries, even during the early stages; moreover, costs increase as disease severity worsens. These cost estimates may facilitate the assessment of the net economic benefits of interventions that prevent or slow the progression of CKD.

Objective: To estimate the economic burden of vision loss and eye disorders in the United States population younger than 40 years in 2012., Design: Econometric and statistical analysis of survey, commercial claims, and census data., Participants: The United States population younger than 40 years in 2012., Methods: We categorized costs based on consensus guidelines. We estimated medical costs attributable to diagnosed eye-related disorders, undiagnosed vision loss, and medical vision aids using Medical Expenditure Panel Survey and MarketScan data. The prevalence of vision impairment and blindness were estimated using National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data. We estimated costs from lost productivity using Survey of Income and Program Participation. We estimated costs of informal care, low vision aids, special education, school screening, government spending, and transfer payments based on published estimates and federal budgets. We estimated quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) lost based on published utility values., Main Outcome Measures: Costs and QALYs lost in 2012., Results: The economic burden of vision loss and eye disorders among the United States population younger than 40 years was $27.5 billion in 2012 (95% confidence interval, $21.5-$37.2 billion), including $5.9 billion for children and $21.6 billion for adults 18 to 39 years of age. Direct costs were $14.5 billion, including $7.3 billion in medical costs for diagnosed disorders, $4.9 billion in refraction correction, $0.5 billion in medical costs for undiagnosed vision loss, and $1.8 billion in other direct costs. Indirect costs were $13 billion, primarily because of $12.2 billion in productivity losses. In addition, vision loss cost society 215 000 QALYs., Conclusions: We found a substantial burden resulting from vision loss and eye disorders in the United States population younger than 40 years, a population excluded from previous studies. Monetizing quality-of-life losses at $50 000 per QALY would add $10.8 billion in additional costs, indicating a total economic burden of $38.2 billion. Relative to previously reported estimates for the population 40 years of age and older, more than one third of the total cost of vision loss and eye disorders may be incurred by persons younger than 40 years., Financial Disclosure(s): The author(s) have no proprietary or commercial interest in any materials discussed in this article., (Copyright © 2013 American Academy of Ophthalmology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

OBJECTIVE To examine the cost-effectiveness of a hepatitis B vaccination program for unvaccinated adults with diagnosed diabetes in the U.S. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS We used a cost-effectiveness simulation model to estimate the cost-effectiveness of vaccinating adults 20-59 years of age with diagnosed diabetes not previously vaccinated for or infected by hepatitis B virus (HBV). The model estimated acute and chronic HBV infections, complications, quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs), and incremental cost-effectiveness ratios. Data sources included surveillance data, epidemiological studies, and vaccine prices. RESULTS With a 10% uptake rate, the intervention will vaccinate 528,047 people and prevent 4,271 acute and 256 chronic hepatitis B infections. Net health care costs will increase by $91.4 million, and 1,218 QALYs will be gained, producing a cost-effectiveness ratio of $75,094 per QALY gained. Results are most sensitive to age, the discount rate, the hepatitis B incidence ratio for people with diabetes, and hepatitis B infection rates. Cost-effectiveness ratios rise with age at vaccination; an alternative intervention that vaccinates adults with diabetes 60 years of age or older had a cost-effectiveness ratio of $2.7 million per QALY. CONCLUSIONS Hepatitis B vaccination for adults with diabetes 20-59 years of age is modestly cost-effective. Vaccinating older adults with diabetes is not cost-effective. The study did not consider hepatitis outbreak investigation costs, and limited information exists on hepatitis progression among older adults with diabetes. Partly based on these results, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recently recommended hepatitis B vaccination for people 20-59 years of age with diagnosed diabetes.

Compared with other racial groups, African Americans have a similar prevalence of CKD but are much more likely to progress to ESRD, suggesting that the cost-effectiveness of screening strategies requires dedicated study in this population. Here, we calibrated the CKD Health Policy Model so that it accurately forecasts the higher rates for ESRD observed for African Americans. We then used the calibrated model to estimate the cost-effectiveness of screening for microalbuminuria followed by treatment with angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors or angiotensin II-receptor blockers. Incorporating racial differences in risk factors did not fully explain the much higher lifetime incidence of ESRD among African Americans. Thus, to calibrate the model, we applied a 20% increase in the rate of GFR decline at stage 3 and a 60% increase in the rate of GFR decline at stage 4, which resulted in a model that closely reflects lifetime ESRD incidence among African Americans. Compared with usual care, screening African Americans for microalbuminuria at 10-, 5-, 2-, and 1-year intervals had incremental cost-effectiveness ratios of $9000, $11,000, $19,000, and $35,000 per quality-adjusted life year, respectively. Incremental cost-effectiveness ratios for the same screening intervals were higher for non-African Americans: $17,000, $23,000, $44,000, and $81,000 per quality-adjusted life year, respectively. In summary, these models suggest that screening African Americans for microalbuminuria at either 5- or 10-year intervals is highly cost-effective.

Aims: To estimate remaining life expectancy (RLE), quality-adjusted life expectancy (QALE), causes of death and lifetime cumulative incidence of microvascular/macrovascular complications of diabetes for youths diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes., Methods: A Markov-like computer model simulated the life course for a hypothetical cohort of adolescents/young adults in the USA, aged 15-24 years, newly diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes following either conventional or intensive treatment based on the UK Prospective Diabetes Study. Outcomes included RLE, discounted QALE in quality-adjusted life years (QALYs), cumulative incidence of microvascular/macrovascular complications and causes of death., Results: Compared with a mean RLE of 58.6 years for a 20-year-old in the USA without diabetes, conventional treatment produced an average RLE of 43.09 years and 22.44 discounted QALYs. Intensive treatment afforded an incremental 0.98 years and 0.44 discounted QALYs. Intensive treatment led to lower lifetime cumulative incidence of all microvascular complications and lower mortality from microvascular complications (e.g. end-stage renal disease (ESRD) death 19.4% vs. 25.2%). Approximately 5% with both treatments had ESRD within 25 years. Lifetime cumulative incidence of coronary heart disease (CHD) increased with longer RLE and greater severity of CHD risk factors. Incorporating disutility (loss in health-related quality of life) of intensive treatment resulted in net loss of QALYs., Conclusions: Adolescents/young adults with Type 2 diabetes lose approximately 15 years from average RLE and may experience severe, chronic complications of Type 2 diabetes by their 40s. The net clinical benefit of intensive treatment may be sensitive to preferences for treatment. A comprehensive management plan that includes early and aggressive control of cardiovascular risk factors is likely needed to reduce lifetime risk of CHD., (© 2011 The Authors. Diabetic Medicine © 2011 Diabetes UK.)