Resource utilization and cost in a commercially insured population with schizophrenia.

Abstract

Although the prevalence of schizophrenia is low in a commercially insured US population, this analysis shows that the average total claim cost per patient with schizophrenia is more than 4 times the average total claim cost for a demographically adjusted population without schizophrenia. Furthermore, for newly diagnosed patients with schizophrenia, the cost, which is largely driven by inpatient charges, is highest in the month of diagnosis.