Study Findings from University of Texas Medical Branch Advance Knowledge in Cochlear Implants (An Investigation of the Impact of Expanding High-Deductible Health Plans on Patient Decision for Cochlear Implant Surgery and Postoperative Outcomes): Implant Technology – Cochlear Implants

Health Policy and Law Daily

2023 DEC 29 (NewsRx) -- By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Health Policy and Law Daily -- Investigators publish new report on cochlear implants. According to news originating from Galveston, Texas, by NewsRx editors, the research stated, “Hypothesis: After the expansion of high deductibles, patients will delay cochlear implant (CI) surgery to the end of the year, and the risk of postoperative known risks will increase. The Affordable Care Act was associated with increased enrollment in high-deductible health plans (HDHPs), which resulted in rising health insurance deductibles.”

Our news editors obtained a quote from the research from University of Texas Medical Branch: “Health insurance plans can cover a patient’s cost of healthcare once the deductible is met. Patients have been shown to be economic rational decision makers and make decisions based on cost rather than health. They wait for their deductible to be met, typically at the end of the year, then proceed to have costly care. The goal of this study was to evaluate the impact of rising health insurance deductibles on the rate and postoperative outcomes of cochlear implantation and to assess changes by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. TriNetX was used to accumulate summary data on patients who obtained a CI between 2005 and 2022 at the beginning (quarter 1) and the end of the year (quarter 4) from the electronic medical records of 75 healthcare organizations. The trends in average rate of cochlear implantation and resultant postoperative known risks or complications were statistically evaluated. After expansion of HDHPs, the rate of cochlear implantation between quarter 4 (19 cases per year) and quarter 1 (17 cases/year) was similar (p = 0.18). For all patient groups, the case volume significantly increased. Between quarter 4 and quarter 1, postoperative tinnitus was more common in the beginning of the year (risk ratio, 0.68; 95% confidence interval, 0.46-0.99).”

According to the news editors, the research concluded: “The number of patients receiving CIs significantly increased despite the expansion of HDHPs. Tinnitus was a rare postoperative known risk in the beginning of the year. Patients are less likely concerned about cost of CI surgery because of the impact of hearing loss on quality of life.”

For more information on this research see: An Investigation of the Impact of Expanding High-Deductible Health Plans on Patient Decision for Cochlear Implant Surgery and Postoperative Outcomes. Otology & Neurotology, 2023,45(1). The publisher for Otology & Neurotology is Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health).

A free version of this journal article is available at https://doi.org/10.1097/mao.0000000000004063.

Our news journalists report that additional information may be obtained by contacting Brian J. McKinnon, Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, United States. Additional authors for this research include Robert E. Africa, Brian P. Quinlan.