chapter 12: Pharmacoeconomics Flashcards
1
Q
- Pharmacoeconomics is:
- The study of the part of the U.S. economy devoted to drug use
- The study of the impact of prescription drug costs on the overall economy
- The analysis of the costs and consequences of any health-care-related treatment or service
- The analysis of the clinical efficacy of the drug
A
- The analysis of the costs and consequences of any health-care-related treatment or service
2
Q
- The direct costs of drug therapy include:
- The actual cost of acquiring the medication
- The loss of income due to illness
- Pain and suffering due to inadequate drug therapy
- The cost of a funeral associated with premature death
A
- Pain and suffering due to inadequate drug therapy
3
Q
- Indirect costs associated with drug therapy include:
- The cost of diagnostic tests to monitor therapeutic levels
- Health-care provider time to prescribe and educate the patient
- Child-care expenses incurred while receiving therapy
- Loss of wages while undergoing drug therapy
A
- Loss of wages while undergoing drug therapy
4
Q
- The intangible costs of drug therapy include:
- Loss of wages while undergoing therapy
- Inconvenience, pain, and suffering incurred with therapy
- Cost of medical equipment in the laboratory used to monitor therapeutic drug levels
- Cost of prescription drug coverage, such as Medicare Part D
A
- Inconvenience, pain, and suffering incurred with therapy
5
Q
- When a pharmacoeconomic analysis looks at two or more treatment alternatives that are considered equal in efficacy and compares the costs of each it is referred to as:
- Cost-minimization analysis
- Cost-of-illness analysis
- Cost-effectiveness analysis
- Cost-benefit analysis
A
- Cost-minimization analysis
6
Q
- Cost-effectiveness analysis compares two or more treatments or programs that are:
- Not necessarily therapeutically equivalent
- Considered equal in efficacy
- Compared with the dollar value of the benefit received
- Expressed in terms of patient preference or quality-adjusted life years
A
- Not necessarily therapeutically equivalent
7
Q
- When the costs of a specific treatment or intervention are calculated and then compared with the dollar value of the benefit received it is referred to as:
- Cost-minimization analysis
- Cost-of-illness analysis
- Cost-effectiveness analysis
- Cost-benefit analysis
A
- Cost-benefit analysis
8
Q
- Mary has a two-tiered prescription benefit plan, which means:
- She can receive differing levels of care based on whether she chooses an “in-plan” provider or not.
- She is eligible for the new Medicare Part D “donut hole” reduction of costs program.
- She pays a higher copay for brand-name drugs than for generic drugs.
- She must always choose to be treated with generic drugs first.
A
- She pays a higher copay for brand-name drugs than for generic drugs.
9
Q
- Prescribing less-expensive generic drugs or drugs off the $4 retail pharmacy lists:
- Increases the complexity of the pharmacoeconomics of prescribing for the individual patient
- Increases compliance by reducing the financial burden of drug costs to the patient
- Is not sound prescribing practice due to the inferiority of the generic products
- Will increase the overall cost of drugs to the system due to the ease of overprescribing less-expensive drugs
A
- Increases compliance by reducing the financial burden of drug costs to the patient
10
Q
- James tells you that he is confused by his Medicare Part D coverage plan. An appropriate intervention would be:
- Order cognitive testing to determine the source of his confusion.
- Sit down with him and explain the whole Medicare Part D process.
- Refer him to the Medicare specialist in his insurance plan to explain the benefit to him.
- Request his son come to the next appointment so you can explain the benefit to him.
A
- Request his son come to the next appointment so you can explain the benefit to him.
11
Q
- The “donut hole” in Medicare Part D:
- Will be totally eliminated with the federal health-care reform enacted in 2010
- Refers to the period of time when annual individual drug costs are between $250 and $2,250 per year and drug costs are covered 75%
- Refers to the period between when the annual individual drug costs are $2,970 and $4,750 and the patient pays 52.5% of the costs of brand name drugs (2013)
- Has no effect on whether patients continue to fill their prescriptions during the coverage gap
A
- Refers to the period between when the annual individual drug costs are $2,970 and $4,750 and the patient pays 52.5% of the costs of brand name drugs (2013)
12
Q
- Research has shown that when patients who are covered by Medicare Part D reach the “donut hole” in coverage they:
- Ask for extra refills of medication to get them through the months of no coverage
- Fill their prescriptions less frequently, including critical medications such as warfarin or a statin
- Fill their critical medications, but hold off on filling less-critical medications
- Demonstrate no change in their prescription filling pattern
A
- Fill their prescriptions less frequently, including critical medications such as warfarin or a statin