Table 2.
Median 15-year (2001–2015) cumulative Medicare claims and costs ($AU) for Australian women born in 1946–1951 by the quintile of the baseline FAVVA score (1 = lowest and 5 = highest FAVVA quintiles) and baseline BMI category (n = 8833) a.
| Under Weight b n = 119 |
Healthy Weight n = 3743 |
Overweight/Obese n = 4971 |
ALL n = 8833 |
||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BMI, Mean ± SD | 17.6 ± 0.9 | 22.6 ± 1.6 | 30.4 ± 4.8 | 26.9 ± 5.5 | |||||
| 2001 FAVVA Quintile | Medicare Variable | Median | Q1, Q3 | Median | Q1, Q3 | Median | Q1, Q3 | Median | Q1, Q3 |
| 1 (lowest) |
n | 37 | 748 | 1041 | 1826 | ||||
| FAVVA | 62 | 45, 68 | 62 | 53, 70 | 63 | 53, 70 | 62 | 53, 70 | |
| Claims (n) c | 228 | 147, 441 | 226 | 145, 358 | 266 | 170, 401 | 250 | 157, 387 | |
| Charge ($) d | 12,580 | 7504, 27,566 | 13,262 | 7782, 23,063 | 15,169 | 8787, 24,673 | 14,261 | 8195, 24,246 | |
| Benefit ($) e | 11,393 | 6798, 20,669 | 10,055 | 6066, 17,603 | 12,230 | 7223, 19,636 | 11,265 | 6620, 18,910 | |
| Gap ($) f | 2190 | 705, 3988 | 2583 | 923, 5458 | 2168 | 759, 5631 | 2345 | 802, 5540 | |
| 2 | n | 32 | 835 | 1119 | 1986 | ||||
| FAVVA | 79 | 72, 85 | 79 | 73, 86 | 79 | 72, 86 | 79 | 73, 86 | |
| Claims (n) | 192 | 109, 321 | 219 | 147, 315 | 260 | 163, 381 | 240 | 156, 353 | |
| Charge ($) | 10,845 | 6253, 17,903 | 13,404 | 8099, 22,050 | 15,839 | 8811, 24,764 | 14,614 | 8450, 23,615 | |
| Benefit ($) | 8158 | 4764, 15,694 | 10,044 | 6242, 15,647 | 12,021 | 7016, 19,020 | 10,984 | 6512, 17,497 | |
| Gap ($) | 2019 | 878, 3858 | 3028 * | 1320, 6087 | 2821 | 949, 6345 | 2886 * | 1081, 6206 | |
| 3 | n | 22 | 699 | 919 | 1640 | ||||
| FAVVA | 89 | 85, 96 | 89 | 83, 95 | 89 | 83, 95 | 89 | 83, 95 | |
| Claims (n) | 226 | 128, 283 | 224 * | 156, 320 | 269 | 182, 392 | 246 | 170, 363 | |
| Charge ($) | 15,045 | 8061, 20,111 | 13,553 | 8435, 22,154 | 16,770 | 9852, 27,132 | 15,290 | 9336, 25,061 | |
| Benefit ($) | 11,122 | 6818, 14,200 | 10,085 | 6605, 15,905 | 12,881 | 7772, 19,952 | 11,470 | 7132, 18,301 | |
| Gap ($) | 2850 | 1620, 6143 | 3131 * | 1268, 5983 | 3308 * | 1399, 7317 | 3230 * | 1330, 6702 | |
| 4 | n | 15 | 703 | 910 | 1628 | ||||
| FAVVA | 100 | 98, 106 | 99 | 92, 106 | 98 | 91, 104 | 98 | 92, 105 | |
| Claims (n) | 431 | 202, 532 | 223 * | 150, 326 | 252 | 167, 379 | 239 | 161, 358 | |
| Charge ($) | 22,803 | 15,527, 33,031 | 13,728 | 8293, 22,532 | 15,331 | 9060, 25,531 | 14,788 | 8844, 24,292 | |
| Benefit ($) | 18,016 | 8683, 29,663 | 10,327 | 6336, 16,445 | 11,754 | 7155, 18,994 | 10,859 | 6800, 18,019 | |
| Gap ($) | 3729 | 1548, 6974 | 3070 * | 1440, 6128 | 3434 * | 1351, 6895 | 3251 * | 1387, 6586 | |
| 5 (highest) |
n | 13 | 758 | 982 | 1753 | ||||
| FAVVA | 114 | 109, 123 | 112 | 105, 120 | 111 | 104, 121 | 112 | 104, 121 | |
| Claims (n) | 208 | 176, 277 | 220 * | 144, 318 | 260 | 167, 393 | 237 | 154, 357 | |
| Charge ($) | 13,988 | 11,982, 16,097 | 14,010 | 8008, 21,279 | 16,813 | 9206, 26,808 | 15,251 | 8695, 24,394 | |
| Benefit ($) | 11,357 | 8319, 13,101 | 9878 | 6091, 15,673 | 12,262 | 7058, 20,286 | 11,250 | 6618, 18,151 | |
| Gap ($) | 2666 | 686, 4740 | 3552 | 1375, 6399 | 3250 * | 1249, 7242 | 3448 * | 1321, 6761 | |
Abbreviations: BMI, body mass index; FAVVA, Fruit and Vegetable Variety index; SD, standard deviation; * p < 0.05: linear regression modelling by BMI category with adjustment for area of residence, ability to manage on current income and total energy intake, with FAVVA Quintile 1 set as reference group. a Data presented are unadjusted medians and IQRs. b Women with ‘Underweight’ BMI were excluded from the analysis due to the small sample size. c Number of healthcare services received under the Medicare Benefits Schedule. d Total cost of services (as charged by the healthcare provider). e Amount paid back to the patient by Medicare. f Out-of-pocket costs paid by the patient.