Reports on Heart Disease Findings from Institute of Health Economics Provide New Insights (The excess health care costs of KardioPro, an integrated…

Reports on Heart Disease Findings from Institute of Health Economics Provide New Insights (The excess health care costs of KardioPro, an integrated care program for coronary heart disease prevention)

By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Heart Disease Weekly -- Investigators publish new report on Heart Disorders and Diseases. According to news reporting originating in Neuherberg, Germany, by NewsRx journalists, research stated, "Coronary heart disease (CHD) is a major cause of death and important driver of health care costs. Recent German health care reforms have promoted integrated care contracts allowing statutory health insurance providers more room to organize health care provision."

The news reporters obtained a quote from the research from the Institute of Health Economics, "One,provider offers KardioPro, an integrated primary care-based CHD prevention program. As insurance providers should be aware of the financial consequences when developing optional programs, this study aims to analyze the costs associated with KardioPro participation. 13,264 KardioPro participants were compared with a propensity score-matched control group. Post-enrollment health care costs were calculated based on routine data over a follow-up period of up to 4 years. For those people who incurred costs, KardioPro participation was significantly associated with increased physician costs (by 33%), reduced hospital costs (by 19%), and reduced pharmaceutical costs (by 16%). Overall costs were increased by 4%, but this was not significant. Total excess costs per observation year were (sic)131 per person (95% confidence interval: [(sic)-36.5; (sic)296]). Overall, KardioPro likely affected treatment as the program increased costs of physician services and reduced costs of hospital services."

According to the news reporters, the research concluded: "Further effects of substituting potential inpatient care with increased outpatient care might become fully apparent only over a longer time horizon."

For more information on this research see: The excess health care costs of KardioPro, an integrated care program for coronary heart disease prevention. Health Policy, 2015;119(6):778-786. Health Policy can be contacted at: Elsevier Ireland Ltd, Elsevier House, Brookvale Plaza, East Park Shannon, Co, Clare, 00000, Ireland. (Elsevier - www.elsevier.com; Health Policy - www.elsevier.com/wps/product/cws_home/505962)

Our news correspondents report that additional information may be obtained by contacting C. Becker, Helmholtz Zentrum Munchen, German Res Center Environm Hlth, Inst Hlth Econ & Hlth Care Management, D-85758 Neuherberg, Germany. Additional authors for this research include R. Holle and B. Stollenwerk (see also Heart Disorders and Diseases).

Keywords for this news article include: Europe, Germany, Hospital, Neuherberg, Cardiology, Heart Disease, Risk and Prevention, Cardiovascular Diseases, Heart Disorders and Diseases

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