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Chronic Catastrophes: Concentration and persistence of Rx costs among the population of British Columbia Steve Morgan, Gillian Hanley June 2008 – AcademyHealth ARM – Washington DC. Motivation. ‘High users’ docs and hospitals = well studied Prescription drugs need studying because…
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Chronic Catastrophes:Concentration and persistence of Rx costs among the population of British Columbia Steve Morgan, Gillian HanleyJune 2008 – AcademyHealth ARM – Washington DC
Motivation • ‘High users’ docs and hospitals = well studied • Prescription drugs need studying because… • Historically less interest • Possibly different patterns of need • Very different systems of financing (growing ‘catastrophic’ coverage in US & Canada)
Data • Administrative records, 2001 and 2004 BC PharmaNet all prescriptions, all costs, all persons “BCLHD” vital stats, MD visits, hospital visits, income • ‘Study population’ ~ BC population 3.85 million individuals (who met residency criteria)
Concepts • Classifying Rx use • High cost = top 5% by Rx spending • Medium cost = the next 10% by Rx spending • Low cost = all others with some Rx spending • Non users = all those with no Rx spending • Health status measure • Aggregated Diagnostic Groups [range: 0 to 32 ADGs] • Death
Conclusion • High-cost Rx use appears … … relatively explainable by way of age and morbidity … relatively persistent by way of 3-year follow-up • Are ‘catastrophic’ coverage policies therefore appropriate? (Is the house burning down once, or …?)