The one year costs associated with the treatments were, $342 for Varenicline, $366 for bupropion, $244 for nicotine patches and $73 for no pharmacologic aids.
Treatment with varenicline resulted in an increase in the number of successful smoking cessations after 10 years of approximately 14% when compared with bupropion, 25% when compared with nicotine patches, and 38% when compared with no pharmacologic aid.
The incremental costs per cessation were reported for the two-year time horizon. In the Medicaid model, varenicline was dominant (more effective and less costly) when compared with bupropion and with nicotine patches; the incremental cost per cessation of varenicline compared with no aid was $836. The results were also reported for the employer model and for the private health plan model.
In the employer model, the health care cost savings, after 10 years, for varenicline were $112,934 compared with bupropion, $219,295 compared with nicotine patches, and $333,706 compared with no aids. These results were also reported at one, two and five years. When the productivity costs were included, the cost savings ranged from $575,705 compared with bupropion to 1,686,203 compared with no pharmacologic aid.