Economic model of sustained-release bupropion hydrochloride in health planand work site smoking-cessation programs

The development and application of an economic model designed to assess the specific costs and benefits of health plan coverage of smoking-cessation p rograms involving sustained-release bupropion hydrochloride are described. A cohort of 100,000 employees or health plan members and 60,000 adult depen dents was followed from the start of the model to either retirement at age 65 or death at age 85. The model was used to compare outcomes for coverage versus no coverage of sustained-release bupropion hydrochloride as a compon ent of a smoking-cessation benefit under four managed care plan scenarios a nd four employer scenarios. For the managed care scenarios involving covera ge of bupropion sustained-release the overall decrease in health care costs over a 20-year period ranged from $7.9 million to $8.8 million; for every dollar spent covering smoking cessation, $4.10-$4.69 in health care costs w as saved. For the employer scenarios, health care costs over 20 years decre ased by $8.3 million to $14.0 million, and smoking-related indirect costs d ecreased an additional $5.1 million to $7.7 million; for every dollar spent covering smoking cessation, $5.04-$6.48 was saved.