Biologic Cost per Effectively Treated Rheumatoid Arthritis Patient in a Large Managed Care Population: A Retrospective Cohort Study

Background: Until recently, the lack of clinical outcomes information for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in administrative claims databases limited their use in comparative effectiveness research. A validated claims-based algorithm has been developed to estimate the effectiveness of biologics for RA, allowing for estimation of cost and effectiveness in the same database. Objectives: To implement a validated claims-based effectiveness algorithm in a US managed care claims database to compute the 1-year biologic cost per effectively treated patient among first-line biologics approved for moderate-to-severe RA (abatacept, adalimumab, certolizumab pegol, etanercept, golimumab, and infliximab). Methods: This retrospective cohort study used administrative claims data for individuals in the HealthCore Integrated Research Database (HIRDSM). The first claim for a first-line biologic between July 1, 2009, and January 31, 2013, after 6 months of continuous enrollment, was defined as the index event and date. Patients were aged 18-63 years on the index date and had at least one claim for RA in the 6-month pre- index period. Biologic costs included plan and patient paid amounts on claims for the biologic drug and administration. The algorithm defined effectiveness during the 12-month post-index period as achieving all six of the following: high adherence (medication possession ratio ≥80% or infusions consistent with the product label); no increase in biologic dose or decrease in dosing interval; no new biologic; no new nonbiologic disease-modifying antirheumatic drug; no new or increased oral glucocorticoid use; and ≤1 glucocorticoid injection. Cost per effectively treated patient was calculated as the total biologic cost (drug and administration) divided by the number of patients categorized by the algorithm as effectively treated. Results: The cohort comprised 4844 patients (mean age 48.6 years, 76.4% female). Average first-year biologic cost ranged from $14 795 (golimumab) to $19 520 (abatacept). Average first-year biologic cost per effectively treated patient was significantly lower for etanercept ($50 217) than for golimumab ($56 427, p<0.001) adalimumab ($56 879, p<0.001), abatacept ($68 062, p<0.001), certolizumab pegol ($76 427, p<0.001), and infliximab ($95 126, p<0.001). Conclusions: In this application of a validated claims-based algorithm to a large managed care population, etanercept had the lowest 1-year biologic cost per effectively treated patient among first-line biologics.