Adherence to Insulin Pen Therapy Is Associated with Reduction in Healthcare Costs Among Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus.

Background: Type 2 diabetes mellitus is a chronic metabolic disorder that poses a significant economic burden on the US healthcare system associated with direct and indirect medical costs, loss of productivity, and premature mortality.

Objectives: To determine whether increased adherence to therapy among patients with type 2 diabetes who use an insulin pen is associated with reduced healthcare costs, and to describe the overall healthcare costs of patients with type 2 diabetes.

Methods: This retrospective claims database analysis used the Truven Health MarketScan Commercial and Medicare Supplemental databases to identify patients diagnosed with type 2 diabetes with at least 1 insulin pen prescription claim between January 2006 and September 2010.