COSTS ATTRIBUTABLE TO OSTEOARTHRITIS

Objective. To estimate charges attributable to osteoarthritis (OA) in a managed care organization. Methods, Longitudinal study based on insu rance claims incurred and filed between 1991 and 1993 in a national ma naged care organization Patients with claims for OA were randomly samp led to yield 20,000 study subjects. Charges per person-year were deter mined for these patients and compared to those of comparison subjects matched for age, sex, and insurance plan without claims for OA. Result s. Total charges per patient-year adjusted to 1993 dollars for patient s with OA <65 and greater than or equal to 65 years of age were $5,294 and $5,704, respectively, while charges for controls were $2,467 and $3,741, respectively. Thus, charges due to OA were $2,827 and $1,963, accounting for 5% of total plan charges. Conclusion. Patients with sym ptomatic OA incur charges for medical care at about twice the rate of plan enrollees without claims for OA and account for a substantial pro portion of total charges in a managed care plan.