Patterns of Medical Care Cost by Service Type Associated With Lung Cancer Screening

Area of Science:

• Health Economics
• Oncology
• Public Health

Background:

• Lung cancer screening (LCS) aids early detection but its real-world cost impact is unclear.
• Understanding healthcare costs associated with LCS is crucial for clinical implementation.
• This study evaluates cost changes before and after LCS initiation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess changes in healthcare costs 12 months before versus 12 months after lung cancer screening.
• To compare costs between individuals who underwent LCS and those who did not.
• To analyze cost differences based on LCS scan results (positive vs. negative).

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of Medicare fee-for-service data.
• Inclusion of individuals meeting LCS eligibility criteria across 4 health systems (2015-2021).
• Generalized linear models used to estimate payer perspective costs pre- and post-LCS, comparing with a control group.

Main Results:

• 10,049 individuals received LCS; 15,233 did not.
• LCS was associated with an average cost increase of $3698 compared to non-recipients.
• Individuals with positive LCS scans incurred an additional $11,664; those with negative scans showed no cost increase.

Conclusions:

• Increased healthcare costs linked to LCS were primarily observed in patients with positive scan results.
• Lung cancer screening demonstrates potential cost-effectiveness for early-stage lung cancer identification.
• Healthcare systems should enhance strategies to boost LCS participation rates.