Article: Effect of Shifting Costs to Patients on Specialty Evaluation for Sleep Disorders

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether the introduction of out-of-pocket expenses to medical center employees would lead to decreased use of sleep disorder services.

PATIENTS AND METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed and compared the clinical and medical accounting data from visits by Mayo Clinic employees to the Sleep Disorders Center from January 1 to March 31, 2003, with that of January 1 to March 31, 2004, ie, before and after a January 2004 increase in co-payments for evaluation and testing.

RESULTS: The total number of new patients evaluated in the first quarters of 2003 and 2004 was similar (113 vs 119; P=.37). Snoring, restless legs symptoms, hypertension, atrial fibrillation, and prior ...

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