Health care expenditures in ulcerative colitis: the perspective of a self-insured employer.
OBJECTIVE
This study was designed to investigate the incidence, prevalence, treatment patterns, disease severity, and direct costs associated with ulcerative colitis (UC) for claimants in health plans offered by a large self-insured employer in the United States.


METHODS
Retrospective analysis of medical claims with and without UC identified from a population of approximately 500,000 employees, retirees, and dependents.


RESULTS
Costs for UC claimants were more than twice those for the comparator group ($14,486 vs $6158; P < 0.005). Total health care costs for the severe disease cohort were double those of the mild or moderate cohorts ($26,875 vs $12,154 and $12,731), as were inpatient costs ($13,516 vs $3235 and $2244). The annual incremental cost of treating severe disease was $6812 (P < 0.005) compared with mild UC.


CONCLUSIONS
UC is a significant predictor of increased medical costs with severe disease, driven mainly by inpatient costs.
Hillson
Eric
E
Centocor, Inc., Horsham, PA, USA. ehillson@cntus.jnj.com
Dybicz
Sharon
S
Waters
Heidi C
HC
Stuart
Bruce
B
Schaneman
Justin
J
Dabbous
Omar
O
Erwin
W Gary
WG
Kersh
Andrew
A
Broussard
Delma
D
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003093:Colitis, Ulcerative / Q000191:economics* / Q000453:epidemiology; D003132:Commerce / Q000191:economics*; D005260:Female; D005102:Health Expenditures; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007348:Insurance, Health / Q000191:economics*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult