Most studies in the area of quality of life have either a health profile such as the SF-36 scores or the Quality Adjusted Life Years (QALYs), as the outcome of interest. However in using one type of measure, valuable information that can be derived from the other type of measure is not available. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to derive QWB scores from the SF-36 scores and thereby calculate the QALY. METHODS: Patients with 3 specific medical conditions were selected from the Idaho Medicaid population. The subjects were randomly selected within each disease state and were sent a mail version of the SF-36 questionnaire. Using the regression equation developed in the Beaver Dam Health Outcomes Study, the QWB scores were calculated from the SF-36 scores. The QWB scores were then used in calculating the QALYs for the respondents. RESULTS: The response rate for the survey was 20%. Using an ANOVA analysis the study found the cost to produce one QALY was significantly different, with p<0.009 for patients with different medical conditions. In the treatment of hypertensive patients, the cost to produce one QALY differed significantly (p<0.004) for patients on different treatments. In the treatment of congestive heart failure patients, the cost to produce one QALY differed significantly (p<0.021) for patients on different treatments. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with different medical conditions would need varying amounts of resources to achieve a comparable level of quality of life. This is also true for patients on different treatments. The findings would be an aid in allocation of resources between medical conditions and between treatments within a disease state.