Table 2 Variables used in costing analysis

Medical Charges

APDC

Average costs per AR-DRGs (from government ‘Costs of Care’ reports

Continuous ($)

Averages and totals across diagnosis groups and periods

MBS

Charges

Continuous ($)

Averages and totals across diagnosis groups and periods

PBS

Gross Price

Continuous ($)

Averages and totals across diagnosis groups and periods

Diagnoses Melanoma

CCR

Inclusion in the CCR

Inclusion

45& Up

Question: ‘Has a doctor ever told you that you have melanoma’?

Yes/No

Proportions

MBS

Relevant MBS Charges

Continuous ($)

Averages and totals across diagnosis groups and periods

APDC

Relevant Primary Diagnoses items

Continuous ($)

Averages and totals across diagnosis groups and periods

Diagnosis NMSC

45& Up

Question: ‘Has a doctor ever told you that you have skin cancer (NMSC)’?

Yes/No

Proportions

MBS

Relevant MBS Charges

Continuous ($)

Averages and totals across diagnosis groups and periods

APDC

Relevant Primary Diagnoses items

Continuous ($)

Averages and totals across diagnosis groups and periods

Diagnosis Calendar Year (melanoma)

CCR

Year of Diagnosis’ variable

Year

APDC

Date of Separation

Year

45& Up

Question: ‘At what age were you told you had melanoma?’ (Allows calculation of year with variable ‘Year of Birth’)

Continuous

Averages and totals across diagnosis groups and periods

Diagnosis Calendar Year (NMSC)

45& Up

Question: ‘At what age were you told you had skin cancer (NMSC)’ (Allows calculation of year with variable ‘Year of Birth’)

Continuous

Averages and totals across diagnosis groups and periods

APDC

Date of Separation

Year

Demographics

45& Up

Year of birth

Year

Year

Gender

Female/Male

Proportions

Year of Death

RBDM

Year of death variable

Year

Year