Background Insomnia affects up to one-third of US adults and is a significant health challenge with an estimated economic burden of up to $100 billion annually. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for insomnia (CBT-I) is the recommended first-line treatment, but access is limited due to a shortage of trained therapists. Digital CBT-I offers an effective alternative that may enhance accessibility and reduce higher healthcare costs associated with insomnia. Objective To evaluate the US healthcare cost-savings of digital CBT-I compared with standard-of-care control. Methods A retrospective difference-in-differences analysis compared 1-year preinitiation and post-initiation healthcare costs for 11 027 individuals receiving SleepioRx (FDA-cleared digital CBT treatment for insomnia disorder) compared with 1:1 exact matched controls with insomnia receiving standard care (n = 10 770). Commercial and Medicare claims were adjusted for comorbidities, index year, and baseline utilization. Results Digital CBT-I was associated with statistically significant mean annual total cost savings of $2083 (95% CI, $1508-$2657, P < .001) per person, equating to a 42% reduction in costs with SleepioRx relative to matched controls who received standard of care (medications for insomnia). Discussion Digital CBT-I was associated with substantial cost savings for payers. The integration of guideline-concordant treatment through digital delivery into standard care pathways offers a promising strategy to address the clinical and economic challenges of insomnia, supporting more efficient resource allocation. Conclusions Findings suggest that implementing digital CBT-I at scale may lead to decreased costs for healthcare payers, relative to the current standard of care, while improving access to effective insomnia treatment.
Journal article
The Journal of Health Economics and Outcomes Research
2025-11-13T00:00:00+00:00
12