A COST DENSITY ANALYSIS OF BENIGN PROSTATIC HYPERPLASIA

we assessed the frequency and cost of care for benign prostatic hyperp lasia (BPH) among approximately 165,000 subscribers to Fallen Communit y Health Plan (FCHP), a group model health maintenance organization lo cated in central Massachusetts. We computed rates of episodes of medic al services for BPH using automated utilization files, and we estimate d costs using Medicare reimburse ment schedules and medication average wholesale prices. Fire identified 3919 men who visited a physician fo r BPH from January 1, 1991, until December 31, 1994, during which time they contributed 8336 person-years to the analysis. This population c omprises approximately 12% of men at least 40 years old at FCHP. From 1991 to 1994, 696 (18%) men received terazosin, 219 (6%) men underwent a prostatectomy, and 41 (1%) men received finasteride. Men averaged 1 .66 office visits per year to a physician for BPH. Most office visits (61%) were to a primary care physician, with 39% of the visits to a ur ologist. Among patients who received terazosin, the frequency of offic e visits increased slightly after receiving terazosin, from 2.14 to 2. 62 visits per year. Among surgery patients, the frequency of visits de clined after prostatectomy, from 6.31 visits per year to 1.67 visits. The individual annual cost rate for BPH care ranged from $25.00 to $25 ,352.00, with an average of $364.00 per person and a median cost of $1 26.00. The major components of the overall costs were hospital admissi ons (35%), terazosin dispensings (29%), and physician office visits (1 9%), with outpatient hospital care and ambulatory procedures accountin g for the remaining 17%. Among men receiving terazosin, the average co st was $1190.00 per person-year, and among patients undergoing prostat ectomy, the cost was $2630.00 per person-year. The prostatectomy rate declined by nearly 80% during the study period, while the dispensing r ate for terazosin doubled, resulting in an overall decline in the tota l cost of care for BPH from 1991 to 1994.