Researchers have known for a while that the miscarriage prevention drug 17-P is also effective at preventing premature births, but since it's not FDA approved for that purpose, many insurance companies won't cover it. Now a study from Metro Health Center and Case Western Reserve University says using 17-P to prevent premature births could reduce hospital costs by $3,800 per patient and could save just under $16,000 in the lifetime healthcare costs of each child. Senior Investigator on the study, Dr. Jennifer Bailit, says she found insurance policies over 17-P frustrating when treating expectant mothers at Metro Health Center.
Jennifer Bailit: Explain to her that it might be of benefit and then look into her insurance and realize that she wasn't covered and couldn't afford it. So that's what prompted me to do the study to help create the business case for insurance companies that this would be a smart thing to do.
The study's findings appear today in this month's issue of the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology.