Health Care Costs of Medicare Beneficiaries with Frailty and/or Dementia
2024
Healthcare Costs for Older Adults with Frailty and Dementia
publication
Author Information
Author(s): Sison Stephanie Denise, Shi Sandra, Oh Gahee, Olivieri-Mui Brianne, Park Chan Mi, McCarthy Ellen, Kim Dae Hyun
Primary Institution: University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School
Hypothesis
Frailty and dementia increase healthcare costs for older adults.
Conclusion
Frailty alone leads to the highest healthcare costs among older adults, regardless of dementia status.
Supporting Evidence
- Frailty alone incurred the highest total annual cost of $38,119.
- The frailty and dementia group had an annual cost of $33,098.
- Dementia alone resulted in an annual cost of $16,622.
- Inpatient costs were the highest proportion of total costs.
- Preventable inpatient costs were highest in the frailty alone group at $2,517.
- SNF costs were highest in the frailty and dementia group at $5,338.
Takeaway
Older people who are frail spend more money on healthcare than those who have dementia or neither condition.
Methodology
Analyzed Medicare claims data from 2016-2019 for a 5% sample of beneficiaries aged 65 and older.
Participant Demographics
Community-dwelling Medicare beneficiaries aged 65 and older.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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