Impact of Insurance on Surgery Outcomes for Pituitary Adenomas
Author Information
Author(s): Khushi H. Shah, Nikola Susic, Adham M. Khalafallah, Victor M. Lu, Michael E. Ivan, Ricardo J. Komotar, Zoukaa B. Sargi, Ashish H. Shah
Primary Institution: University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA
Hypothesis
How does insurance status affect outcomes of endoscopic transsphenoidal pituitary surgery for non-functional pituitary adenomas?
Conclusion
Uninsured patients and those with Medicaid experience significant disparities in disease severity and surgical outcomes compared to insured patients.
Supporting Evidence
- Uninsured patients had lower preoperative Karnofsky performance scores.
- Uninsured patients experienced longer hospital stays.
- Medicaid patients had larger preoperative tumor volumes.
- Uninsured patients had higher rates of visual disturbances.
Takeaway
People without insurance or on Medicaid often have worse health and longer hospital stays after surgery for pituitary tumors than those with private insurance.
Methodology
Retrospective review of patients who underwent endoscopic transsphenoidal surgery from 2012 to 2023, categorized by insurance status.
Potential Biases
Potential biases due to the retrospective nature and single-institution focus.
Limitations
Single-institution study with a retrospective design; results may not be generalizable.
Participant Demographics
Mean age 56.93 years, 52.53% male; 611 insured and 40 uninsured patients.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.05
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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