Influenza Activity 1b (IA1b)

Cost of Illness Study

1.Winter of 2009, Jason Washington fell ill with H₁N₁ influenza.His illness progressed.One afternoon he began coughing and could not stop, he passed out, was unresponsive.He lived in Kokomo, Indiana, was taken to St. Joe's in Kokomo, then was transported to St. Vincent's in Indianapolis on 86^th Street.He was in the ICU for a month due to pneumonia, kidney failure, secondary infections, and swelling on his brain.He recovered.His glasses were lost in the hospital, they had to be replaced.His wife, Jodi, had to take a month off of work to stay by his side (Jason was retired).Jodi made $24 per hour.She had to go without pay for four weeks (40 hours per week for four weeks). The ambulance ride from his home to the ER cost $250.He was transported via ambulance to Indianapolis.The second ride cost $800.Jason required a special bed in the ICU that moved his body while he recovered from his brain swelling and resultant coma.The bed cost $1500 per day.He was in that bed for 22 days.His doctor bill was $3,000 after his insurance payment while he was in the ICU.His ER visit cost $100 insurance co-pay.He also required 10 visits to a pulmonary specialist as a part of his after care.These visits were $35 dollars each.Each of these visits were 5 miles from his trip necessitating a ten-mile round trip from his home to the doctor.Their home was 49 miles from St. Vincent's (98 miles round trip).Rather than go back and forth to the hospital, Jodi drove down and stayed.Her hotel bill for the month was $4400.Per IRS guidelines, medical mileage in 2018 is calculated at $.18 per mile.Jason's glasses were $350 to replace.Jason and Jodi had non-refundable tickets to a fancy fundraising dinner during Jason's inpatient stay.The tickets were $200 total.The whole situation left Jodi in a great deal of distress as she is concerned about Jason's future health due to after effects of his illness and the impact of the missed time at her job.

a.List the direct, indirect, and opportunity costs of Jason's illness. No need to list dollar figures right now. (hint:there are four direct costs when you lump all of the pulmonologist visits into one, seven indirect costs, and one opportunity cost)

Direct Costs

Indirect Costs

Opportunity Cost

b.Calculate the mileage of the following using the 2018 guidelines for medical mileage ($.18) per mile

i.Mileage for Jodi to and from her home to St. Vincent's

ii.Total mileage for all of Jason's visits to the pulmonologist

c.Complete the following Excel table to determine the total cost of Jason's illness to the Washington family.Please note that you need to double click on the table to be able to edit it, the workbook contains the necessary the formulas, only enter in the total costs for each type of costs in the yellow cells.The table will do the remaining work for you.

d.What was the total cost of Jason's illness?

e.What was an intangible cost of Jason's illness?

2.Review the Cost of Illness Part II Canvas page.On that page, you were presented with information that describes how influenza places an actual cost burden on society.The same is true with any illness.Answer the following questions in one or two sentences.

a.List a preventable disease or condition

b.How do you prevent it? (a simple answer is sufficient, no research necessary)

c.Remember, we all pay for each other's health care.What is your opinion about paying for the health care of someone who has contracted the condition you listed in 2a?Do you care or is it something you accept as being a part of living and functioning in a society?

d.Here is another saying, "An apple a day keeps the doctor away".Translate that in terms of cost (dollars).How much is an apple?What do you think a doctor's visit costs (Guesses are fine, my intention here is to get you to think of wellness and illness in terms of cost)?Which is cheaper?Do you think we should mandate a person each an apple every day rather than go to the doctor?

Here's the excel