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MG.1 Suppose the health department in a small county has been given a total budg

ID: 1139510 • Letter: M

Question

MG.1 Suppose the health department in a small county has been given a total budget of $10 Million to spend on new drugs in a new drug insurance plan. Its objective is to maximize health gains per dollar. The department's analysts have developed a list of drugs that could be covered by the insurance program, together with estimates of their costs and benefits (in QALYs gained): Benefit (QALYs) 500 500 250 200 150 100 100 100 100 Cost ($) 1,000,000 2,000,000 2,000,000 1,200,000 4,500,000 1,200,000 1,800,000 2,000,000 5,000,000 Drugs 50 800,000 a. Calculate the CER (cost effectiveness ratio (C1-Co) E1-Eo) ) for each drug, assuming the comparison case (Co, Eo) is doing nothing b. Given the limited total budget of $10 million, list the drugs that should be reimbursed the insurance plan (covering the most cost effective drugs first). c. What additional information would need to be provided in order to perform a cost-benefit analysis for each drug?

Explanation / Answer

Drugs

Benefit

Cost

CER

A

500

1000000

2000

B

500

2000000

4000

D

200

1200000

6000

C

250

2000000

8000

F

100

1200000

12000

J

50

800000

16000

G

100

1800000

18000

H

100

2000000

20000

E

150

4500000

30000

I

100

5000000

50000

a. CER = Cost/ Benefit

b. A, B, D, C, F, J and G would be covered by the insurance plan as they have the lowest CER and Costs add up to 10000000.

c. C0 and E0 are needed to perform a comprehensive cost benefit analysis.

MG 2. The Value of a Statistical Life (VSL) is the amount of money that a person is willing to spend to save a life. It can be measured in terms of opportunity cost. The amount that the life can be worth in the future as against the cost of saving it.

Drugs

Benefit

Cost

CER

A

500

1000000

2000

B

500

2000000

4000

D

200

1200000

6000

C

250

2000000

8000

F

100

1200000

12000

J

50

800000

16000

G

100

1800000

18000

H

100

2000000

20000

E

150

4500000

30000

I

100

5000000

50000