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Eliminating copayments improves adherence, reduces adverse events in nonwhite patients

Date:
May 5, 2014
Source:
Brigham and Women's Hospital
Summary:
Lowering copayments for cardiovascular medications results in better adherence and outcomes among all patients, research shows. But until now, little was known about whether lowering copayments could improve known disparities in cardiovascular care. New research finds that lowering copayments for medications following a heart attack could have a significant impact on reducing the racial and ethnic disparities that exist in cardiovascular disease.
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Research demonstrates that lowering copayments for cardiovascular medications results in better adherence and outcomes among all patients, but until now, little was known about whether lowering copayments could improve known disparities in cardiovascular care. New research finds that lowering copayments for medications following a heart attack could have a significant impact on reducing the racial and ethnic disparities that exist in cardiovascular disease.

These findings are published in the May issue of Health Affairs.

"African Americans and Hispanics with cardiovascular disease are up to 40 percent less likely than whites to receive secondary prevention therapies, such as aspirin and beta-blockers," said Niteesh Choudhry, MD, PhD, lead study author and associate physician in the Division of Pharmacoepidemiology at Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH) and associate professor at Harvard Medical School. "Our research demonstrates that not only does eliminating medication copayments following a heart attack positively impact the disparity we know exists in cardiovascular care and improve outcomes for nonwhite patients, it also has the potential to dramatically reduce healthcare spending for this high-risk group."

Researchers analyzed self-reported race and ethnicity data for participants in the Post-Myocardial Infarction Free Rx Event and Economic Evaluation (MI FREEE) trial, and found that rates of medication adherence were significantly lower, and rates of adverse clinical outcomes -- readmission for a major vascular event or coronary revascularization -- were significantly higher, for nonwhite patients than for white patients.

Researchers report that providing full drug coverage (no copayment) increased medication adherence in both groups. Among nonwhite patients, it also reduced the rates of major vascular events or revascularization by 35 percent and reduced total health care spending by 70 percent. Interestingly, providing full coverage had no effect on clinical outcomes and costs for white patients.

"As part of our ongoing efforts to promote racial and ethnic equality, we wanted to further explore whether financial responsibility resulted in different health outcomes based on race or ethnicity. This important level of detail helps us design products and services that more effectively meet our members' health needs," said Wayne Rawlins, MD, national medical director for Racial and Ethnic Equality Initiatives at Aetna and co-author of the study.


Story Source:

Materials provided by Brigham and Women's Hospital. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.


Journal Reference:

  1. N. K. Choudhry, K. Bykov, W. H. Shrank, M. Toscano, W. S. Rawlins, L. Reisman, T. A. Brennan, J. M. Franklin. Eliminating Medication Copayments Reduces Disparities In Cardiovascular Care. Health Affairs, 2014; 33 (5): 863 DOI: 10.1377/hlthaff.2013.0654

Cite This Page:

Brigham and Women's Hospital. "Eliminating copayments improves adherence, reduces adverse events in nonwhite patients." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 5 May 2014. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/05/140505211415.htm>.
Brigham and Women's Hospital. (2014, May 5). Eliminating copayments improves adherence, reduces adverse events in nonwhite patients. ScienceDaily. Retrieved March 28, 2024 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/05/140505211415.htm
Brigham and Women's Hospital. "Eliminating copayments improves adherence, reduces adverse events in nonwhite patients." ScienceDaily. www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/05/140505211415.htm (accessed March 28, 2024).

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