The health care costs of epilepsy: Evidence from all-payer claims data

Objective

To provide updated estimates of the healthcare costs associated with epilepsy using large, state-based all-payer claims databases.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective cohort study using all-payer claims data from Colorado, Massachusetts, and Virginia for 2016–2019, including individuals enrolled in Medicare, Medicaid, and individual and small-group commercial plans. Individuals with epilepsy were identified using a validated claims-based algorithm and matched with non-epilepsy controls based on age and sex. The two groups' healthcare use and costs were compared using generalized linear regressions and adjusting for age, sex, insurance status, and comorbidities.

Results

The study included 150,808 adults with epilepsy in Colorado, 122,222 in Virginia, and 118,707 in Massachusetts. State-level estimates of annual costs for adults with epilepsy were between $28,000 and $34,000 (2021 U.S. dollars), whereas costs for matched controls were between $2900 and $6300. Adults with epilepsy incurred higher costs than matched controls across all types of care. Adjusted analyses revealed that costs attributable to epilepsy ranged from $12,000 to $31,000, depending on the covariates included.

Conclusion

Our study provides updated and comprehensive cost estimates for epilepsy from diverse U.S. states, demonstrating the utility of all-payer claims data to generate state-specific and aggregate estimates of epilepsy burden to guide interventions. This study confirms that epilepsy imposes a substantial economic burden on the healthcare system, with costs higher than previous estimates.