Direct Medical Costs Associated With Post-COVID-19 Conditions Among Privately Insured Children and Adults.
Prev Chronic Dis
; 20: E06, 2023 02 09.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-2234410
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION:
SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, has caused more than 100.2 million infections and more than 1 million deaths in the US as of November 2022, yet information on the economic burden associated with post-COVID-19 conditions is lacking. We estimated the possible economic burden associated with post-COVID-19 conditions by comparing direct medical costs among patients younger than 65 years with and without COVID-19 in the postacute period.METHODS:
Commercially insured children and adults with a COVID-19 diagnosis (cases) during April-August 2020 were matched to those without COVID-19 (controls) on a 14 ratio. Direct medical costs represented 1-, 3-, and 6-month total expenditures per person starting 31 days after the diagnosis date. We used a 2-part model to evaluate cost differences among individuals with and without COVID-19, adjusted for patient characteristics.RESULTS:
Costs were higher among cases compared with controls. Direct medical costs among child cases were 1.82, 1.72, and 1.70 times higher than controls over 1, 3, and 6 months, respectively. Direct medical costs among adult cases were 1.69, 1.54, and 1.46 times higher than costs among controls over 1, 3, and 6 months, respectively. Relative differences in costs were highest among adults aged 50 to 64 years. In a subset of people with COVID-19, costs were higher among hospitalized cases compared with nonhospitalized cases.CONCLUSION:
Our findings suggest a considerable economic burden of COVID-19 even after the resolution of acute illness, highlighting the importance of prevention and mitigation measures to reduce the economic impact of COVID-19 on the US health care system.
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
COVID-19 Testing
/
COVID-19
Type of study:
Diagnostic study
/
Experimental Studies
/
Observational study
Topics:
Long Covid
Limits:
Adult
/
Child
/
Humans
Language:
English
Journal:
Prev Chronic Dis
Journal subject:
Public Health
Year:
2023
Document Type:
Article
Affiliation country:
Pcd20.220292
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