Dale F Kraemer1, Po-Yin Yen, Mark Nichols. 1. Department of Pharmacy Practice, Oregon State University, Portland, OR 97239-4501, USA. kraemerd@ohsu.edu
Abstract
BACKGROUND: This study compares the expected 5-year costs for permanent sterilization in women between nonincisional hysteroscopic tubal occlusion with the Essure system performed in an office setting and laparoscopic bilateral tubal ligation (LBTL). STUDY DESIGN: An economic decision tree is used to predict outcomes and costs to compare these two procedures from a US Medicaid perspective over a 5-year time horizon. RESULTS: Expected costs are $2367 for Essure and $3545 for LBTL (Essure saves $1178 or 33% of LBTL costs). Sensitivity analyses show Essure has lower expected costs across all values considered. If the cost for a LBTL procedure were to decrease by 20% and the cost for Essure to increase by 20%, Essure would have still have lower expected costs. CONCLUSION: Office-based sterilization for women using Essure can lead to substantial cost savings over 5 years compared to LBTL. This conclusion is robust to varying analytic inputs.
BACKGROUND: This study compares the expected 5-year costs for permanent sterilization in women between nonincisional hysteroscopic tubal occlusion with the Essure system performed in an office setting and laparoscopic bilateral tubal ligation (LBTL). STUDY DESIGN: An economic decision tree is used to predict outcomes and costs to compare these two procedures from a US Medicaid perspective over a 5-year time horizon. RESULTS: Expected costs are $2367 for Essure and $3545 for LBTL (Essure saves $1178 or 33% of LBTL costs). Sensitivity analyses show Essure has lower expected costs across all values considered. If the cost for a LBTL procedure were to decrease by 20% and the cost for Essure to increase by 20%, Essure would have still have lower expected costs. CONCLUSION: Office-based sterilization for women using Essure can lead to substantial cost savings over 5 years compared to LBTL. This conclusion is robust to varying analytic inputs.