The cost of treating commercially insured Type 2 diabetes patients in Texas hospitals in 2008, regardless of setting (inpatient, outpatient, emergency room), exceeded the national averages. In fact, inpatient charges were 20% higher than the national average of $52,730, and an 11% increase over Texas hospitals' 2007 inpatient charges of $56,765 per Type 2 diabetes patient. Houston had the highest hospital inpatient charges for Type 2 diabetes patients at $62,816 per patient, which is a 13% increase over the year before. The lowest cost market was Ft. Worth/Arlington where Type 2 diabetes inpatient charges were $52,243, which is a surprising 10% drop from the year before (2007).

Among the six Texas markets profiled, physician charges for office or clinic-based Type 2 diabetes care was highest in Dallas, at $6,992 per patient, nearly double the Texas average of $3,871 and twice the national average of $3,399.

Making matters worse -- patients aren't complying

Patient compliance (taking prescribed medications) and persistence (total length of time on therapy) in filling their insulin and anti-diabetes prescriptions in 2008 declined consistently month over month across all of the Texas markets profiled in this report. Type 2 diabetes patients in Fort Worth were least likely to continue filling their insulin prescriptions over the 12 month period. In El Paso, persistence was the lowest in (56%) for non-insulin anti-diabetic medications at Month 12, compared to San Antonio where persistence was highest at Month 12 (65%) among the markets profiled.

The Texas Type 2 Diabetes Report for 2009 helps TBGH fulfill its mission of helping Texas employers play an active and enthusiastic role in promoting cost-effective delivery of quality health care to the benefit of the community. The report was produced with assistance from sanofi-aventis U.S.

Source: dfwbgh