<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><xml><records><record><source-app name="Biblio" version="7.x">Drupal-Biblio</source-app><ref-type>17</ref-type><contributors><authors><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Dhalla, I. A.</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Smith, M. A.</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Choudhry, N. K.</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Denburg, A. E.</style></author></authors></contributors><titles><title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Costs and benefits of free medications after myocardial infarction</style></title><secondary-title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Healthc Policy</style></secondary-title></titles><dates><year><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">2009</style></year><pub-dates><date><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Nov</style></date></pub-dates></dates><urls><web-urls><url><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21037827</style></url></web-urls></urls><number><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">2</style></number><edition><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">2010/11/03</style></edition><volume><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">5</style></volume><pages><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">68-86</style></pages><isbn><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">1715-6572 (Print)1715-6572 (Linking)</style></isbn><language><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">eng</style></language><abstract><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">BACKGROUND: Although combination pharmacotherapy after myocardial infarction dramatically reduces morbidity and mortality, the full benefits of secondary prevention medications remain unrealized owing to medication non-adherence. Because financial barriers are a major determinant of non-adherence, we examined the costs and benefits of providing free medications to myocardial infarction patients who do not have private insurance and are ineligible for substantial public coverage. METHODS: An economic evaluation combining decision analysis and Markov modelling was conducted to compare full public coverage of secondary prevention medications with the status quo. Costs and benefits were estimated using Canadian data wherever possible. The main outcome was the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio measured in cost per quality-adjusted life-year (QALY) gained. RESULTS: From the perspective of the publicly funded healthcare system, full coverage resulted in greater quality-adjusted survival than the status quo (7.02 vs. 6.13 QALYs) but at increased cost ($20,423 vs. $17,173). The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) for full coverage compared to the status quo was $3,663/QALY. This result was robust to a wide range of sensitivity analyses. In a secondary analysis from the perspective of government, the ICER for full coverage compared to the status quo was $12,350/QALY. In this analysis, the ICER was sensitive to changes in price elasticity, but remained below $50,000/QALY as long as the elasticity remained below -0.035. INTERPRETATION: Public payers in Canada should consider providing secondary prevention medications to myocardial infarction patients without private insurance free of charge. Full public coverage is cost-effective compared to the status quo.</style></abstract><accession-num><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">21037827</style></accession-num><notes><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Dhalla, Irfan ASmith, Monique AChoudhry, Niteesh KDenburg, Avram ECanadaHealthcare policy = Politiques de santeHealthc Policy. 2009 Nov;5(2):68-86.</style></notes><custom2><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">2805141</style></custom2><auth-address><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Keenan Research Centre, Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, St. Michael's Hospital, Departments of Medicine and Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON.</style></auth-address></record></records></xml>