Payer costs in patients undergoing uterine artery embolization, hysterectomy, or myomectomy for treatment of uterine fibroids.
OBJECTIVE
To compare health resource use and medical costs in patients with uterine leiomyomas treated with hysterectomy, myomectomy, or uterine artery embolization (UAE).


METHODS
Patients who underwent hysterectomy, myomectomy, or UAE for leiomyomas were identified from a nationally representative private payer claims database based on their diagnosis and procedure codes. The study included patients with no prior hysterectomy, myomectomy, or UAE and no previous diagnosis of gynecologic cancer. Health resource use and medical costs were evaluated over a period of 12 months.


RESULTS
The study included 2,836 hysterectomy, 704 myomectomy, and 125 UAE patients. Average patient ages were 46 years for hysterectomy, 38 years for myomectomy, and 45 years for UAE (P < .001). Median UAE procedure costs were $5,968, compared with $7,299 for myomectomy (P = .031) and $7,707 for hysterectomy (P < .001). Median total 12-month payer costs were not significantly different among the three procedures ($10,519 for UAE vs $9,652 for myomectomy [P = .372] and $10,044 for hysterectomy [P = .813]). There were no differences in overall hospital admissions or emergency room visits after the procedures. Patients who underwent UAE had greater fibroid-related hospital and physician office use beyond 30 days after treatment (P < .001). During this period, 65.6% of patients treated with UAE had at least one imaging study, versus 37.1% of those treated with myomectomy (P < .001) and 14.1% of those treated with hysterectomy (P < .001).


CONCLUSIONS
Procedure costs were significantly lower for UAE versus myomectomy and hysterectomy, but there was no difference in total 12-month payer costs. Postprocedural imaging appears to be a factor in total UAE costs. Further research is needed to better understand the role of imaging studies after UAE.
Dembek
Carole J
CJ
Health Economics & Reimbursement, Boston Scientific Corporation, Natick, Massachusetts, USA.
Pelletier
Elise M
EM
Isaacson
Keith B
KB
Spies
James B
JB
D000328:Adult; D001158:Arteries; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D003952:Diagnostic Imaging / Q000191:economics; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000191:economics; D005260:Female; D013509:Gynecologic Surgical Procedures / Q000191:economics* / Q000379:methods; D017048:Health Care Costs; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006295:Health Resources / Q000191:economics* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000191:economics; D006801:Humans; D007044:Hysterectomy / Q000191:economics*; D007349:Insurance, Health, Reimbursement / Q000191:economics*; D018231:Leiomyomatosis / Q000191:economics* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy; D008875:Middle Aged; D009819:Office Visits / Q000191:economics; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014481:United States; D014594:Uterine Neoplasms / Q000191:economics* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy