RESEARCH - Out-of-pocket costs limit access to RA biologics

[Guest guest]

Out-of-Pocket Costs Limit Access to Arthritis Drugs

Insurance woes keep rheumatoid arthritis patients from biologic meds,

study finds

US News & World Report

HealthDay

Posted: May 25, 2010

TUESDAY, May 25 (HealthDay News) -- Effective but expensive biologic

drugs are less likely to be used by American rheumatoid arthritis

patients who have inadequate health insurance or are struggling with

medical co-payments, a new study reveals.

Biologics, which alter immune system function, are sometimes used to

treat rheumatoid arthritis when more conventional treatments don't

work.

" Our study showed that out-of-pocket cost is a concern in the decision

to initiate these drugs, " lead author Pinar Karaca-Mandic, an

assistant professor in the School of Public Health at the University

of Minnesota, said in a news release. " If higher cost-sharing forces

people away from preferred, effective therapy, they could end up with

higher complication and medical costs. "

Karaca-Mandic and her research team released their findings online May

24 in advance of publication in an upcoming print issue of the journal

Health Services Research.

*****************************************

Read the full article here:

http://health.usnews.com/health-news/family-health/pain/articles/2010/05/25/out-\

of-pocket-costs-limit-access-to-arthritis-drugs.html

Not an MD