Chronic pancreatitis imposes substantial human and financial costs, including hospitalizations and medical care, absences from work and school for patients and family, opioid addiction, and other consequences of chronic pain.
An 2014 analysis of the costs of chronic pancreatitis in the United Kingdom estimated the annual cost to be the equivalent of over $100,000 per patient per year—and that was likely an underestimate. The study concluded: “Patients with chronic pancreatitis consume a disproportionately high volume of resources.”¹
Who bears the cost of chronic pancreatitis?
Right now, these people and companies are bearing significant costs, with dismal outcomes. Could some of these payers use some of their funding to incentivize development of cures or therapies that will reduce these costs? We believe patient outcome financing is the vehicle for doing that, and the path to a healthier, more productive future.