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Baseline Cost of Parkinson's Disease in a Large Health Care Plan Russell S. Littlefield, MBA, Steve L. Martin, and Alan H. Heaton, PharmD Abstract Parkinson disease is a chronic neurodegenerative illness that is affecting an increasing number of persons in the United States. Typically, disease onset is between ages 45 and 65 years. The prevalence of Parkinson disease in a managed care environment is unknown. Prime Therapeutics, Inc, conducted a retrospective analysis to determine prevalence and to establish baseline costs in a midwestern managed care health plan with approximately 1.8 million lives. The study determined that mean cost per patient per year (PPPY) was $2161, and it also revealed that medical costs were highest, $3120 PPPY, at diagnosis and decreased with escalating drug therapy. Drug costs began at $124 PPPY and escalated to $1796 after 3 years. The study concluded that incidence and prevalence of Parkinson disease in this population matched nationally reported rates. Treatment patterns and cost followed a logical progression toward more drug therapy with worsening of the disease. (Full article available to registered Medscape users, contains many Tables of Data, doesn't adapt well to plain text eMail) SOURCE: Medscape http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/424386_print * * * ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn