Impact of decreasing copayments on medication adherence within a disease management environment

Health Aff (Millwood). 2008 Jan-Feb;27(1):103-12. doi: 10.1377/hlthaff.27.1.103.

Abstract

This paper estimates the effects of a large employer's value-based insurance initiative designed to improve adherence to recommended treatment regimens. The intervention reduced copayments for five chronic medication classes in the context of a disease management (DM) program. Compared to a control employer that used the same DM program, adherence to medications in the value-based intervention increased for four of five medication classes, reducing nonadherence by 7-14 percent. The results demonstrate the potential for copayment reductions for highly valued services to increase medication adherence above the effects of existing DM programs.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Anticholesteremic Agents / economics*
  • Anticholesteremic Agents / therapeutic use
  • Cohort Studies
  • Cost Sharing*
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Databases, Factual
  • Disease Management*
  • Female
  • Health Benefit Plans, Employee / economics*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Patient Compliance / statistics & numerical data*
  • United States

Substances

  • Anticholesteremic Agents