Inflammation Testing to Identify Cardiovascular Risk Could Save Insurers Millions

Health plans could save substantial sums by implementing routine inflammatory biomarker testing to assess risk for heart attack and stroke, according to a recent study in the Journal of Medical Economics.

Researchers evaluating the economic effect of inflammatory biomarker testing found that a plan with 1 million members could reduce heart attack and stroke rates by approximately 10%, saving more than $187 million over 5 years—or $3.13 per member per month—excluding test costs, compared with standard care. 

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“This study shows that by more accurately measuring cardiovascular disease risk with tools that detect arterial inflammation, we can decrease the overall number of heart attacks and strokes, allowing clinicians and health plans to deploy resources more strategically in order to better manage patient outcomes and costs,” said researcher Marc Penn, MD, PhD, FACC, director of research, Summa Cardiovascular Institute, and chief medical officer, Cleveland HeartLab. “Even small reductions in heart attacks and strokes lead to enormous cost savings because these events are so traumatic and so costly to treat.”

Over a 5-year period, a health plan with 1 million members averaged about 21,104 nonfatal myocardial infarctions and 22,589 nonfatal ischemic strokes, researchers found. Routine inflammatory biomarker testing among a subgroup of patients ≥35 years of age, however, reduced such incidents by 2039 and 1869, respectively.

“We are at a major crossroads in our focus on cholesterol testing to predict heart attack and stroke,” Dr. Penn added. “As clinicians and researchers eagerly seek ways to improve the efficacy of cholesterol lowering in cardiovascular disease, there is still a great need to better assess near-term cardiovascular disease risk in order to determine which patients need therapy and which patients on therapy still have excessive risk."—Jolynn Tumolo

References

1. Penn MS, Yenikomshian MA, Cummings AKG, et al. The economic impact of implementing a multiple inflammatory biomarker-based approach to identify, treat, and reduce cardiovascular risk. Journal of Medical Economics. 2015 April 1. [Epub ahead of print].
2. Journal of Medical Economics—CHL testing could reduce events by 10%, saving $187 million [press release]. Cleveland HeartLab: Cleveland and Boca Raton, FL; April 21, 2015.