Patients who undergo epilepsy surgery incur lower direct medical costs and utilize the healthcare system less frequently, according to a retrospective longitudinal analysis of more than 7800 Medicaid beneficiaries aged 18 to 64 years between 2000 and 2008. Within this time frame, 135 patients received surgery for uncontrolled focal epilepsy, and the mean difference in direct medical costs between surgical and control groups amounted to $6806 after risk set matching. In addition, the incidence rate ratio of inpatient, ER, and outpatient utilization was lower in the surgery group. However, the researchers found no difference in mortality between the two groups after adjustment for confounding variables.
Schiltz NK, Kaiboriboon K, Koroukian SM, Singer ME, Love TE. Long-term reduction of health care costs and utilization after epilepsy surgery. Epilepsia. 2016; 57(2):316-324.
