Table 2.

Real world scenario cost calculation (1999 costs)

Standard methadone maintenance treatment cost:	Cost/unit	# units	Per patient/week	Cost per 12 weeks tx
Methadone @ $380/100 gm	$0.004	70 mg/daily	$1.86	$22.34
Urine test	$3.75	2/week	$7.50	$90.00
Medical exams	$104.33	1/12 weeks	$8.69	$104.33
Blood tests	$85.00	1/12 weeks	$7.08	$85.00
Cost per session of individual treatmenta	$13.34	1/week	$13.34	$160.06
Cost per group counselling sessionb	$2.18	1/week	$2.18	$26.14
Total medical tests and drugs			$40.66	$487.87
Total medical tests and drugs/patient including 21% overhead			$49.19	$590.33
Medical directord			$0.70	$8.38
Pharmaciste			$2.03	$24.39
Nursef			$9.08	$108.97
Total cost/patient including 21% overhead and 24% fringe benefits			$61.01	$732.07

Methadone maintenance with disulfiram treatment cost	Cost/unit	# units	Per patient/week	Cost per 12 weeks tx
Disulfiram $54/100–250 mg tablets	$0.54	250 mg/daily	$3.78	$45.36
Medical exams	$104.33	2/12 weeks	$4.35	$104.33
Blood tests	$85.00	2/12 weeks	$3.54	$85.00
Breathalyzer ($250)c			$3.73	$44.78
Total medical tests and drugs			$15.40	$279.47
Incremental cost of adding disulfiram (including 21% overhead)			$18.63	$338.16
Total cost/patient including 21% overhead and 24% fringe benefits			$89.19	$1,070.23

^aThe average individual counselors’ salary is $27,913. Thus, cost per minute is ($27,913.×1.24×1.21.1)/(52×35×60min) = 0.44$/min.

^bThe average Rehab counselors’ salary is $21,135.88. Thus, cost per minute is ($21,135.88×1.24×1.211)/(52×35×60min)/8=0.04$/min.

^cTo obtain the cost per breathalyzer test, the total price is divided by 67 subjects that participated in the study, which is an upper bound of the cost.

^dMedical director: ($97,533×1.24×1.211)/patient-week.

^ePharmacist and Assistant: ($8,346.77×1.24×1.211) + ($1,370×1.24×1.211)/patient-week.

^fNurse ($10,971.37×1.24×1.211+$28,813×1.24×1.211)/patient-week.