Healthcare Costs for High-grade Glioma

Abstract

Background/aim: Data on verified healthcare costs for high-grade gliomas (HGGs) are limited. This study aimed to determine the healthcare costs for HGGs.

Materials and methods: A total of 88 primary HGGs patients diagnosed and treated at our Institution between 2011 and 2017 who had insurance plans administered with Excellus BCBS were retrospectively identified. Patient clinical information was linked with all verified insurance payment data.

Results: Median insurance payments for clinical management of HGGs were $184,159.83. The leading cost was therapeutic radiation oncology. Patients under commercial insurance had a longer survival time, and higher healthcare expenditures in total and in each phase of clinical care. Healthcare costs were higher during therapy initiation and at disease recurrence and lower during the interim. A generalized linear model showed that patients with commercial insurance, better Karnofsky Performance Status, and longer survival time had higher healthcare expenditures.

Conclusion: Healthcare payments for HGGs patients were substantial and such high healthcare expenditures were positively associated with patient survival and commercial insurance.

Keywords: High-grade gliomas; healthcare costs; insurance type; survival.