Impact of Medicare Wellness Visits on Early Dementia Diagnosis
Author Information
Author(s): Kuo Yong-Fang, Raji Mukaila, Shan Yong, Cram Peter, Tzeng Huey-Ming
Primary Institution: University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, United States
Hypothesis
Does having a Medicare annual wellness visit (AWV) increase the likelihood of early diagnosis of cognitive impairment among Medicare beneficiaries?
Conclusion
Medicare beneficiaries who had an annual wellness visit were more likely to be diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment or moderate Alzheimer's disease compared to those who did not have an AWV.
Supporting Evidence
- Medicare beneficiaries who had an AWV were 23–66% more likely to be diagnosed at the MCI stage.
- Those with an AWV were 8–30% more likely to be diagnosed at the moderate ADRD stage compared to severe ADRD.
- There was a dose-response relationship indicating that more AWV visits led to higher likelihood of early diagnosis.
Takeaway
If you go to your yearly check-up, doctors might catch memory problems earlier, which is really important for getting the right help.
Methodology
This study used a population-based, case-control design analyzing Medicare data from 2014 to 2020.
Participant Demographics
Medicare beneficiaries diagnosed with incident mild cognitive impairment or Alzheimer's disease from 2017 to 2020 in Texas.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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