title: The economic burden of acute coronary syndromes for employees and their dependents: medical and productivity costs.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the total burden of illness, including direct and indirect costs for employees and their dependents with acute coronary syndrome (ACS).
  
  
  METHODS
  Medical and pharmacy claims along with short-term disability (STD) and long-term disability (LTD) claims from 2007 to 2010 were analyzed using two data sets: Integrated Benefits Institute's Health and Productivity Benchmarking Database (STD and LTD claims) and IMS LifeLink™ Health Plan Data (medical and pharmacy claims).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Employees with ACS lost 60.2 ± 0.29 STD and 397.9 ± 8.09 LTD days per disability incident. For employers, the estimated average per claim productivity loss from STD and LTD was $7943 ± 39.7 and $52,473 ± 1114, respectively. Total annual ACS health care costs per employee were $8170 ± 106, with $7545 ± 104 for annual medical costs. Hospitalizations accounted for 75% of total annual ACS health care costs.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  ACS imposes a substantial economic burden on employees, employers, and society.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Pharmacy, University of Colorado Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Aurora, CO, USA.
authors.forename: Robert L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Page
authors.forename: Vahram
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Ghushchyan
authors.forename: Brian
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Gifford
authors.forename: Richard Allen
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Read
authors.forename: Monika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Raut
authors.forename: Concetta
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Crivera
authors.forename: Ahmad B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Naim
authors.forename: C V
authors.initials: CV
authors.lastname: Damaraju
authors.forename: Kavita V
authors.initials: KV
authors.lastname: Nair
mesh_terms: D054058:Acute Coronary Syndrome / Q000191:economics*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017281:Cost of Illness; D017598:Efficiency, Organizational / Q000191:economics* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D017048:Health Care Costs / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005102:Health Expenditures / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000191:economics; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012456:Salaries and Fringe Benefits; D018582:Sick Leave / Q000191:economics* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014481:United States; D055815:Young Adult