Indirect impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the care and outcomes of people with MS: A combined survey and insurance claims study.

Background: In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, people with multiple sclerosis (pwMS) have been particularly vulnerable to adverse outcomes due to increased risk of severe infection and/or widespread disruptions in care. The CopeMS study led by The University of Texas at Austin and the MS Association of America investigates the long-term impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on healthcare access, disease modifying therapy (DMT) utilization and outcomes of pwMS.

Methods: This retrospective cohort analysis used Optum's de-identified Clinformatics® Data Mart Database (CDM), a large de-identified administrative healthcare claims database to identify pwMS who were continuously enrolled from 01/01/2019 to 12/31/2020 and assessed changes in the utilization of DMTs and healthcare services during the COVID-19 pandemic compared to the year prior.