Zarkin G, Dunlap L, Homsi G; Academy for Health Services Research and Health Policy. Meeting.
Abstr Acad Health Serv Res Health Policy Meet. 2001; 18: 64.
Center for Health Services, Economics, and Policy Research, Research Triangle Institute, 3040 Cornwallis Road, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709, Phone: (919) 541-5858, Fax: (919) 541-6683, E-mail: gaz@rti.org
RESEARCH OBJECTIVE: To estimate the costs of methadone treatment based on a large sample of methadone treatment programs. This paper presents estimates of the total economic costs and costs per patient of providing methadone treatment across the U.S., and it compares these average costs by profit status and clinic size. Furthermore, using information collected from sites on the allocation of labor resources across treatment activities, we present estimates of the economic costs of providing specific services.STUDY DESIGN: We used baseline data from the Evaluation of the Opioid Treatment Program Accreditation Project, a quasi-experimental study to evaluate the impact of changing from stringent Federal regulation to accreditation on the methadone treatment system. This study surveyed a large sample of 108 methadone treatment sites in 1998 and 1999. As part of this study, cost data and information on labor resource allocation across specific services were collected. The sample size used here is the largest in the published literature.POPULATION STUDIED: Methadone treatment sites that participated in the Evaluation of the Opioid Treatment Program Accreditation Project.PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: On average, methadone treatment costs approximately $4,100 per patient per year. These results are similar for for-profit and not-for-profit clinics ($3,902 and $4,288, respectively). In our analysis of costs by site size, the average annual cost per patient decreased with site size. We also estimated that the average costs for several treatment services common in methadone programs. We estimated that the average cost per initial intake and treatment assessment is approximately $59 for an average session of 107 minutes, and the average cost per initial medical services is $57 for an average session of 64 minutes. A session of individual counseling costs approximately $20 with an average length of 46 minutes. We found much variation among sites in service costs and time spent providing the services. For example, costs per initial intake and treatment assessment ranged from $9 to $283 and time spent per session ranged from about 20 minutes to 9 hours.CONCLUSIONS: The average annual costs per patient for our large sample are approximately equal to those found in similar studies with smaller samples. As to the service costing, much variation exists among sites.IMPLICATIONS FOR POLICY, DELIVERY, OR PRACTICE: Increased presence of managed care and reductions in government spending have placed pressure on drug treatment programs to reduce length of stay and limit services. These changes are leading to changes in treatment delivery and packages of services offered. To best allocate their limited resources, treatment providers need to identify the mix of treatment services that produces the most cost-effective outcomes. The first step in this objective is to understand the costs of specific treatment services. The results presented in this paper will provide useful information to policy makers, managed care networks, and providers as they plan the delivery of services for individuals with substance abuse problems.PRIMARY FUNDING SOURCE: The Center for Substance Abuse Treatment
Publication Types:
Keywords:
- Ambulatory Care
- Costs and Cost Analysis
- Epidemiologic Studies
- Federal Government
- Health Care Costs
- Health Expenditures
- Hospitalization
- Humans
- Methadone
- Narcotics
- Substance-Related Disorders
- United States
- economics
- therapy
- hsrmtgs
Other ID:
UI: 102273272
From Meeting Abstracts