Biosimilars: Considerations for Payers.

Evaluating biosimilars requires payers to go beyond cost considerations: safety and efficacy, reliability of supply and logistics, and the impact of state laws on substitution and interchangeability must all be deliberated.

Costs and absence of HCV-infected employees by disease stage.

Objectives: Quantify the costs and absenteeism associated with stages of the Hepatitis C virus (HCV).

Study Design: Retrospective analysis of the HCMS integrated database from multiple geographically diverse, US-based employers with employee information on medical, prescription, and absenteeism claims.

Methods: Employee data were extracted from July 2001-March 2013.

Annual incremental health benefit costs and absenteeism among employees with and without rheumatoid arthritis.

Objective: To assess the impact of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) on absence time, absence payments, and other health benefit costs from the perspective of US employers.

Methods: Retrospective regression-controlled analysis of a database containing US employees' administrative health care and payroll data for those who were enrolled for at least 1 year in an employer-sponsored health insurance plan.

Results: Employees with RA (N = 2705) had $4687 greater average annual medical and prescription drug costs (P < 0.

Excess comorbidity prevalence and cost associated with functional dyspepsia in an employed population.

Background: Limited published data exist on the associated comorbid conditions with functional dyspepsia (FD).

Aims: This study aimed to assess the prevalence, services, and costs related to comorbid conditions associated with FD and the risk of having FD for each comorbid condition.

Methods: A retrospective database analysis was undertaken using payroll data and adjudicated claims from January 1, 2001, through December 31, 2004 among >300,000 employees.

Chronic gout: epidemiology, disease progression, treatment and disease burden.

Background: Gout is a painful and disabling inflammatory arthritis of increasing prevalence associated with hyperuricemia and the deposition of monosodium urate crystals in soft tissues and joints. Diagnosed gout cases have been estimated at 2.13% of the 2009 US population.

Functional dyspepsia impacts absenteeism and direct and indirect costs.

Background & Aims: Functional dyspepsia (FD) is a common morbid condition but data are limited on the direct and indirect costs for employees with FD or on its impact on productivity. Few data on absenteeism and no objective information are available. This study aimed to assess the impact of FD on costs and effects on absenteeism and work output (productivity).

Add-back therapy use and its impact on LA persistence in patients with endometriosis.

Objectives: Persistence and compliance in women with endometriosis who are receiving gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonists (GnRH-a) may be limited by its hypoestrogenic side effects. Use of concomitant therapy with norethindrone acetate (NA), estrogen, estrogen/progestin combinations, or other progestin (i.e.

Good research practices for measuring drug costs in cost-effectiveness analyses: a societal perspective: the ISPOR Drug Cost Task Force report--Part II.

Objectives: Major guidelines regarding the application of cost-effectiveness analysis (CEA) have recommended the common and widespread use of the "societal perspective" for purposes of consistency and comparability. The objective of this Task Force subgroup report (one of six reports from the International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research [ISPOR] Task Force on Good Research Practices-Use of Drug Costs for Cost Effectiveness Analysis [Drug Cost Task Force (DCTF)]) was to review the definition of this perspective, assess its specific application in measuring drug costs, identify any limitations in theory or practice, and make recommendations regarding potential improvements.

Methods: Key articles, books, and reports in the methodological literature were reviewed, summarized, and integrated into a draft review and report.

Good research practices for measuring drug costs in cost-effectiveness analyses: a managed care perspective: the ISPOR Drug Cost Task Force report--Part III.

Objectives: The objective of this report is to provide guidance and recommendations on how drug costs should be measured for cost-effectiveness analyses conducted from the perspective of a managed care organization (MCO).

Methods: The International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR) Task Force on Good Research Practices-Use of Drug Costs for Cost Effectiveness Analysis (DCTF) was appointed by the ISPOR Board of Directors. Members were experienced developers or users of CEA models.

Exploratory economic evaluation of patients with COPD on a combination product versus individual components (ipratropium bromide and albuterol).

A population-based, retrospective claims analysis was undertaken to explore the economic profile of a nebulized ipratropium and albuterol combination product (DuoNeb(R) [DN], DEY, L.P., Napa, Calif).

The impact of gout on work absence and productivity.

Objective: The goal of this analysis was to evaluate the impact of gout, a painful inflammatory arthritis condition, on an employed population's health-related work absence and objectively measured productivity output.

Methods: Payroll, demographic, medical, pharmaceutical, sick leave, short- and long-term disability, and workers' compensation data were collected from multiple large employers with employees widely dispersed across the United States. Data were collected during the time period of 2001 to 2004 from approximately 300,000 employees.

The economic impact of bipolar disorder in an employed population from an employer perspective.

Objective: To determine the economic impact of bipolar disorder on health benefit costs and health-related work absences from an employer perspective.

Method: Data on health benefit costs and health-related absences during 2001 and 2002 were retrieved from a database and retrospectively examined. Regression modeling measured the cost differences while controlling for potentially confounding factors.

Incurring greater health care costs: risk stratification of employees with bipolar disorder.

Purpose: To compare the costs of employees with bipolar disorder with other employee cohorts and to assess cost differences among employees with bipolar disorder of varying severity.

Methods: Retrospective data analysis comparing employees with bipolar disorder (cohort 1) with employees without bipolar disorder (cohort 2), employees with other mental disorders (cohort 3), and employees with no mental disorders (cohort 4). Sick leave, short-term disability, long-term disability, and workers' compensation data were used to compare annual lost time and work-absence costs from January 1, 2001, through December 31, 2002.

The economic burden of gout on an employed population.

Objective: To examine the economic burden of illness of gout in an employed population, quantifying the impact on employers annual health benefit costs for medical and prescription claims, sick leave, short- and long-term disability, and workers' compensation.

Methods: Adjudicated claims data from 300000 employees from 2001 through 2004 were utilized. T-tests were used to compare demographic data and medical costs and services by Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) diagnostic categories.

Costs of physical and mental comorbidities among employees: a comparison of those with and without bipolar disorder.

Objective: To compare the cost and utilization of health care services for various comorbid conditions among employees with bipolar disorder (BPD) and two other population cohorts: employees without BPD and employees with other mental disorders (OMD).

Methods: Retrospective database analysis on a 2-year study period, from January 1, 2001, through December 31, 2002 using adjudicated health insurance medical claims on more than 230 000 employees plus their eligible dependents. Study comparisons were performed among employees with BPD (cohort BPD), employees without BPD (cohort NBD), and employees with OMD (cohort OMD).

Lost time, absence costs, and reduced productivity output for employees with bipolar disorder.

Objective: We sought to evaluate the incremental health-related lost work time and at-work productivity loss for employees with bipolar disorder (BPD).

Methods: Health-related absence and real productivity output of employees with BPD were compared with that of non-BPD and other employee cohorts from a large employer database using multivariate regression to control for cohort differences.

Results: After adjusting for confounding factors, employees with BPD had significantly higher absence costs (1,219 dollars) and 11.

A Cost Minimization Comparison of Two Surfactants-Beractant and Poractant alfa-Based Upon Prospectively Designed, Comparative Clinical Trial Data.

Objectives: To compare the pharmacoeconomic profiles of beractant (Survanta(®), Ross Laboratories, Columbus, Ohio) and poractant alfa (Curosurf(®), DEY LP, Napa, CA) via a cost-minimization analysis.

Methods: This analysis was based upon clinical data from two previously published studies (Speer C, et al. Arch Dis Child 1995;72: F8-13; and Ramanathan R, et al.