TABLE 1.
Baseline Demographic and Clinical Characteristics of Diabetic Patients on Insulin Using Blood Glucose Testing Strips
| Users of Insulin | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Low Cost Share (n = 3,575) | High Cost Share (n = 3,580) | P Valuea | |
| Demographic characteristics | |||
| Age (on index date), mean (SD) | 49 (12.7) | 50 (11.2) | < 0.010 |
| Age category, n (%) | < 0.001 | ||
| 18-44 | 1,172 (32.8) | 986 (27.5) | |
| 45-64 | 2,098 (58.7) | 2,408 (67.3) | |
| 65-75 | 305 (8.5) | 186 (5.2) | |
| Gender, n (%) | 0.490 | ||
| Female | 1,675 (46.9) | 1,648 (46.0) | |
| Male | 1,900 (53.1) | 1,932 (54.0) | |
| Plan type, n (%) | < 0.001 | ||
| HMO | 1,275 (35.7) | 1,433 (40.0) | |
| PPO | 2,129 (59.6) | 1,853 (51.8) | |
| CDHP | 171 (4.8) | 294 (8.2) | |
| Area median household income, $, mean (SD) | 56,686 (14,351.99) | 52,872 (13,929.44) | < 0.001 |
| Area median household income category, n (%) | < 0.001 | ||
| $0-$39,999 | 351 (9.8) | 549 (15.3) | |
| $40,000-$59,999 | 1,801 (50.4) | 1,857 (51.9) | |
| $60,000-$ 79,999 | 990 (27.7) | 833 (23.3) | |
| ≥ $80,000 | 207 (5.8) | 163 (4.6) | |
| Unknown | 226 (6.3) | 178 (5.0) | |
| Clinical characteristics | |||
| DCI | 2.0 (1.6) | 1.8 (1.4) | < 0.001 |
| Type 1 diabetes diagnosis, n (%) | 352 (9.8) | 251 (7.0) | < 0.001 |
| Type of insulin regimen, n (%) | < 0.001 | ||
| Basal only | 806 (22.5) | 1,239 (34.6) | |
| Bolus use only | 671 (18.8) | 317 (8.9) | |
| Premixed use only | 149 (4.2) | 208 (5.8) | |
| Basal and bolus use only | 1,773 (49.6) | 1,540 (43.0) | |
| Other insulin/combination | 176 (4.9) | 276 (7.7) | |
| Comorbid conditions, n (%) | |||
| Dyslipidemia | 2,103 (58.8) | 2,157 (60.3) | 0.220 |
| Hypertension | 2,045 (57.2) | 2,158 (60.3) | 0.010 |
| Renal disease | 202 (5.7) | 146 (4.1) | < 0.001 |
| Fill for metabolic disorder medication,b n (%) | 2,579 (72.1) | 2,682 (74.9) | 0.010 |
| Fill for OAD medications, n (%) | 1,737 (48.6) | 2,055 (57.4) | < 0.001 |
| Diabetic adverse events, n (%) | 323 (9.0) | 293 (8.2) | 0.200 |
| Cost of total testing strips,c $ | |||
| Out-of-pocket amounts, $, mean (SD) | 89 (114.69) | 225 (250.84) | < 0.001 |
| Median, % | 43 | 156 | |
| Health plan-paid amounts, $, mean (SD) | 1,058 (890.17) | 439 (448.41) | < 0.001 |
| Median, % | 817 | 292 | |
| Out-of-pocket cost-share percentage, mean (SD) | 8 (6.89) | 37 (19.02) | < 0.001 |
| Median, % | 9 | 29 | |
| Cost-share percentage for all pharmacy claimsd (n = 7,026) | |||
| Mean (SD) | 20.14 (16.32) | 31.61 (20.63) | < 0.001 |
| Median, % | 16.22 | 25.56 | |
| Cost-share percentage for all medical claimsd (n=7,072) | |||
| Mean (SD) | 21.31 (18.6) | 29.45 (22.03) | < 0.001 |
| Median, % | 16.29 | 23.68 | |
aP values were derived from chi-square tests for categorical variables and t-tests for continuous variables.
bOne or more medications for treatment of cardiovascular disease, dyslipidemia, or hypertension.
cIn 1-year period following initial testing strip fill.
dVariable had missing values when division by zero occurred (i.e., when products were provided with no plan and patient-paid amounts).
CDHP = consumer-driven health plan; DCI = Deyo-Charlson Comorbidity Index; HMO = health maintenance organization; OAD = oral antidiabetic; PPO = preferred provider organization; SD = standard deviation.