As Kulkarni

AC3 DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMATOLOGY, MEDICATION PERSISTENCE, AND ASSOCIATED HEALTH CARE COSTS IN OLDER ADULTSWITH INSOMNIA

patients who were continuously eligible for Medicaid benefit and FAHS for at least 2 years. Medication adherence was measured with the Medication Possession Ratio (MPR) for diabetes-specific prescriptions, statins, and ACEs/ARBs. MPR was calculated separately for the first 12 months (baseline) and the following 12 months (follow-up). Costs were similarly summed over the 12 month intervals of baseline and follow-up. Estimation was performed with first-difference and conditional logistic regressions. RESULTS: Improvement in MPR between baseline and follow-up was reflected in lower inpatient, emergency room (ER), and total non-drug costs. A 10% improvement in MPR for hypoglycemic medications reduced inpatient costs by

PSK4 MEDICATION-RELATED FACTORS AFFECTING HEALTH CARE OUTCOMES AND COSTS IN PATIENTS WITH PSORIASIS AND ACNE IN THE UNITED STATES

127.97 (p = 0.002), ER costs by

PSK1 PATTERNS FOR PHOTOTHERAPY USE IN TREATMENT OF MODERATE-TO-SEVERE PSORIASIS

3.72 (p = 0.003), and total non-drug costs by

PSN11 PREDICTORS OF HEALTH CARE OUTCOMES AND COSTS RELATED TO MEDICATION USE IN PATIENTS WITH ACNE IN THE UNITED STATES

116.00 (p = 0.009) over 12 months. This reduction in inpatient costs was the result of a shorter average length of stay: a decrease of 0.2 (p = 0.03) day per 10% increase in MPR. Finally, a 10% improvement in adherence with statins reduced the probability of being hospitalized by 4.3% (p = 0.01). CONCLUSION: This research demonstrates the existence of significant short-term savings related to the improvement of medication adherence among persons with diabetes.

PES14 MEDICATION AND HEALTH CARE SERVICE UTILIZATION RELATED TO DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS IN OLDER ADULTS WITH PSORIASIS

PSK3 “HEALTH BENEFIT LIMITS” LIMIT TREATMENT OF PSORIASIS AND OTHER DERMATOLOGICAL CONDITIONS Venkat A, Kulkarni AS, Balkrishnan R, Feldman SR Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC, USA, The Ohio State University College of Pharmacy, Columbus, OH, USA, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston Salem, NC, USA OBJECTIVE: Assess types and influence of health benefit limits on treatment of psoriasis and other dermatological conditions. METHODS: Five major health insurance providers in the United States, Kaiser, Foundation Health Plan, United Health Group, CIGNA Corp, Aetna Inc, and AFLAC Inc. were contacted for information regarding their health benefit limits. Annual costs of drugs were obtained from the Drug Topics Red Book 2003 for a 70-kg participant. Age at which insurance benefits would exhaust was calculated based on different onset ages for treatment costing

QU3 Psychometrics of the Actinic Keratosis Risk Questionnaire: A Risk Assessment Instrument

30,000/year and different lifetime benefit limit amounts. RESULTS: Various forms of health benefit limits were imposed by insurance companies. These companies paid a limited amount for drugs annually, with annual caps ranging from

PSK5 TREATMENT PATTERNS IN PATIENTS WITH SEVERE PSORIASIS

1000 to

PSK3 “HEALTH BENEFIT LIMITS” LIMIT TREATMENT OF PSORIASIS AND OTHER DERMATOLOGICAL CONDITIONS

20,000. Companies had different payment policies for brand-name drugs and generic drugs. Lifetime benefit maximum for physician office and hospital visit expenses was another form of cap that was used. Assuming no other claims applied, analysis indicated that a lifetime benefit cap of

PSK10 THE NEGATIVE IMPACT OF PSORIASIS ON WORK PRODUCTIVITY

500,000 for treatment of psoriasis starting at age 20 years exhausted around the age of 40 years. Furthermore, an annual cap of

PSN8 EXAMINATION OF ADHERENCE TO PHARMACOTHERAPY TREATMENT GUIDELINES IN PATIENTS WITH PSORIASIS IN THE UNITED STATES

1000 allowed for full coverage of only methotrexate while, annual caps of