Use and costs of bariatric surgery and prescription weight-loss medications.
The extent of use of bariatric surgery and weight-loss medications is unknown. Using the Nationwide Inpatient Sample, we estimate that the number of bariatric surgeries grew 400 percent between 1998 and 2002; such surgeries were performed on 0.6 percent of the 11.5 million adults clinically eligible in 2002. Hospital costs for bariatric surgery grew sixfold to $948 million in 2002. The inpatient death rate declined 64 percent. Among employers that covered weight-loss drugs in 2002, less than 2.4 percent of adults clinically eligible for these drugs used them, with average annual spending of $304 per user.
Encinosa
William E
WE
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, in Rockville, Maryland, USA. wencinos@ahrq.gov
Bernard
Didem M
DM
Steiner
Claudia A
CA
Chen
Chi-Chang
CC
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D019440:Anti-Obesity Agents / Q000191:economics* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001067:Appetite Depressants / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D050110:Bariatric Surgery / Q000191:economics* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D002648:Child; D016527:Drug Costs / Q000706:statistics & numerical data* / Q000639:trends; D005260:Female; D017721:Hospital Costs / Q000706:statistics & numerical data* / Q000639:trends; D006801:Humans; D007348:Insurance, Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D008484:Medicaid / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006278:Medicare / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology
D019440:Anti-Obesity Agents; D001067:Appetite Depressants