• Sun Jung Kim, Joo Hun Lee, Sulgi Kim, Shunichi Nakagawa, Heather Bertelson, Julia Lam, and Ji Won Yoo.
• Department of Public Health, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea ; Institute of Health Services Research, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
• Patient Prefer Adher. 2014 Jan 1; 8: 909915909-15.

ObjectiveTo examine how drug therapy patterns for osteoporosis have changed after the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS) reimbursement reduction in 2007, in relation to follow-up bone mineral density (BMD) testing status.MethodsWe used a retrospective temporal shift design to examine changes in drug therapy patterns before (Phase 1: January 1, 2005-December 31, 2006) and after (Phase 2: July 1, 2007-June 30, 2009) the MPFS reimbursement reduction in 2007, Cleveland, OH, USA. Participants were osteoporotic older women in Phase 1 (n=1,340) and Phase 2 (n=1,437). The main outcomes were a) adherence, b) adjustment, c) occurrence of an extended gap, and d) restarting drug therapy after an extended gap. Follow-up BMD testing status by study phase and location were also analyzed.ResultsBMD testing rates at physicians' offices decreased from 64.5% in Phase 1 to 58.4% in Phase 2 (P=0.02); however, testing rates in hospital outpatient settings increased (from 20.8% to 24.5%). There were also decreases in drug therapy adjustment from 15.9% in Phase 1 to 11.6% in Phase 2 (odds ratio [OR]: 0.73; P<0.01) and in restarting drug therapy after an extended gap (55.4% in Phase 1 and 43.6% in Phase 2; OR: 0.76; P<0.01).ConclusionThere were no changes in the overall rate of follow-up BMD testing. The rates of drug adjustments and restarting drug therapy after an extended gap did decrease. These decreases were more evident when follow-up BMD testing was not performed.

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