Cost drivers of locally advanced rectal cancer treatment—An analysis of a leading healthcare insurer

Background To evaluate the economic burden of locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC) treatment from a society perspective through analysis health insurance-derived data commercially insured and Medicare Advantage (MA) patients. Methods Retrospective cost patients undergoing resection within multimodal (neoadjuvant chemoradiation + adjuvant chemotherapy) strategy between January 1, 2010 October 31, 2018, using claims OptumLabs Data Warehouse database. Results In total, 1738 (935 commercial 803 MA) were included. Overall costs totaled $230,881,746 (on average $183 653 ± 82 384 per $73 681 32 917 MA patient). Cost distribution according to category (commercially patients) was: 29.92% related outpatient care (follow-up visits/diagnostics), radiotherapy: 21.83%, index resection: 20.62%, chemotherapy: 17.44%, surgical inpatient: 6.32%, medical 3.28%, emergency room: 0.58%. Relative itself differed marginally three approaches was 21.49% for open, 19.30% laparoscopic, 20.93% robotic surgery. distributions neoadjuvant, adjuvant, treatments remained unchanged, independently approach. This representation similar in Conclusion Index-surgery outweighed by oncological workup/follow-up both approach insurance type.