Health care charges for youth with newly diagnosed epilepsy

Objectives: To estimate first-year health care charges for youth with newly diagnosed epilepsy seen within an interdisciplinary pediatric epilepsy team and examine demographic, clinical, and psychosocial predictors of annual charges.

Methods: Retrospective chart review was conducted to extract medical, hospital, and physician billing data from the year following an epilepsy diagnosis for 258 patients (aged 2–18 years) seen in a New Onset Seizure Clinic between July 2011 and December 2012. Descriptive statistics were used to estimate per-patient total first-year charges and health care utilization patterns (e.g., hospitalizations, emergency department visits, outpatient visits). Univariate analyses examined differences in health care charges between demographic, clinical, and psychosocial factors. Predictors of health care charges were examined using hierarchical multiple regression analysis.

Results: The estimated per-patient total first-year health care charge was $20,084 (95% confidence interval [CI] $16,491–$23,677). Charges were higher for patients who reported having seizures since diagnosis ($25,509; 95% CI $20,162–$30,856) and were associated with more antiepileptic drug side effects (r = 0.18; 95% CI 0.03–0.32). Controlling for demographic and clinical factors, poorer baseline health-related quality of life was associated with higher per-patient health care charges (B = −445.40; 95% CI −865 to −25).

Conclusions: The economic impact of pediatric epilepsy in the year following diagnosis is substantial. Cost reduction efforts would be optimized by improving seizure control and targeting health-related quality of life, an outcome amenable to behavioral intervention.