Re: the costs of a newborn screening program

[Guest guest]

Too bad we are not all Wisconsin residents and all quite young!

A bit different elsewhere!

n Rojas

[Guest guest]

It's too bad they don't have a newborn screening program in southern

Connecticut. The three southern-most hospitals are the only three

which don't test - imagine the grief and decline in Santosh's health

it would have saved us. If insurance companies were smart, they'd

institute them - I'll bet the bill for Santosh's 5 day stay in

Pediatric ICU cost them WAY more than newborn screening all the babies

born that year.

Thanks for this study, Torsten. How are things with the new baby? How

is Silke? Haven't heard much about Fiona - I hope no news is good news!

Fondly,

On Wednesday, July 23, 2003, at 03:46 PM, Torsten Krafft wrote:

>

> Subject: CF: Analysis of the costs of diagnosing cystic fibrosis with a

> newborn screening program

>

> J Pediatr 2003;142:617-23

> June 2003 . Volume 142 . Number 6

>

> Analysis of the costs of diagnosing cystic fibrosis

> with a newborn screening program

> Don S. Lee [MEDLINE LOOKUP]

> Marjorie A. Rosenberg, PhD, FSA [MEDLINE LOOKUP]

> [MEDLINE LOOKUP]

> Makholm [MEDLINE LOOKUP]

> Hoffman [MEDLINE LOOKUP]

> H. Laessig, PhD [MEDLINE LOOKUP]

> Philip M. Farrell, MD, PhD [MEDLINE LOOKUP]

>

> Abstract

>

> Objectives

> To compare the cost of diagnosing cystic fibrosis (CF)

> through a newborn screening program with the

> traditional method and to estimate the cost of CF

> diagnosis if a national newborn screening program is

> implemented.

>

> Study design

> Surveys were conducted to determine the annual number

> of sweat tests in 1991 and in 2000 after

> implementation of statewide screening. A national

> survey of sweat test costs was used to estimate the

> annual expense for diagnosing CF in the United States

> through newborn screening.

>

> Results

> Since the introduction of newborn screening for CF,

> the numbers of sweat tests ordered annually have

> decreased from 1670 to 804 (including 134 follow-up

> tests from screening). The current estimated annual

> cost of Wisconsin CF newborn screening and diagnosis

> is $4.58 per newborn infant. The estimated annual cost

> per newly diagnosed CF infant using the traditional

> method is $4.97 per newborn infant. If no additional

> sweat tests were ordered outside of the newborn

> screening program, the estimated annual cost of a

> Wisconsin CF newborn screening and diagnosis is $2.66

> per newborn and $2.47 per newborn for a national CF

> newborn screening program.

>

> Conclusions

> A CF newborn screening program provides a potentially

> cost-saving alternative to the traditional method of

> diagnosis of CF. (J Pediatr 2003;142:617-23)

>

>    Publishing and Reprint Information  TOP

>

>

> From the University of Wisconsin and the State

> Laboratory of Hygiene, Madison, Wisconsin.

> Supported by grants from the National Institutes of

> Health (DK 34108 and M01 RR03186-from the National

> Center for Research Resources to the University of

> Wisconsin Medical School) and the Cystic Fibrosis

> Foundation (A001-5-01).

> Submitted for publication April 30, 2002;

>

> revisions received September 5, 2002, and January 17,

> 2003;

>

> accepted February 27, 2003.

>

> Reprint requests: Philip M. Farrell, MD, PhD,

> Professor of Pediatrics and Dean, University of

> Wisconsin Medical School, Room 1217 MSC, 1300

> University Ave, Madison, WI 53706-1532. E-mail:

> pmfarrel@... .

>

> Copyright © 2003, Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

>

>

>

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>

>

> -------------------------------------------

> The opinions and information exchanged on this list should IN NO WAY

> be construed as medical advice.

>

> PLEASE CONSULT YOUR PHYSICIAN BEFORE CHANGING ANY MEDICATIONS OR

> TREATMENTS.

>

> ------------------------------------

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Hi Debbie,

My husband hails from Wisconsin He has family in the county of

Marengo. Where are u at? We had been thinking of moving back up there before cf

but

he is concerned for the quality of care and distance.

Marie, mom of 3 youngest 5mo wcf