Alzheimer's, Dementia Care to Cost U.S. $200 Billion This Year

[cbayer]

http://www.philly.com/philly/health/HealthDay662557_20120308_Alzheimer_s__Dementia_Care_to_Cost_U_S___200_Billion_This_Year.html

THURSDAY, March 8 (HealthDay News) -- Caring for people with Alzheimer's disease and other types of dementia will cost the United States about $200 billion this year, a total that includes $140 billion paid by Medicare and Medicaid, new statistics released Thursday show.

Medicaid payments are 19 times higher for seniors with Alzheimer's and other dementias and Medicare payments for the conditions are nearly three times higher, compared to payments for other patients, according to the "2012 Alzheimer's Disease Facts and Figures" report from the Alzheimer's Association.

Nearly 30 percent of people with Alzheimer's and other dementias are covered by both Medicare and Medicaid, compared to 11 percent of people without the conditions. This means that Medicare and Medicaid costs associated with Alzheimer's and other dementias will continue to rise as baby boomers age, the report said.

"Alzheimer's is already a crisis, and it's growing worse with every year," Harry Johns, president and CEO of the Alzheimer's Association, said in an association news release.

Read more: http://www.philly.com/philly/health/HealthDay662557_20120308_Alzheimer_s__Dementia_Care_to_Cost_U_S___200_Billion_This_Year.html#ixzz1oZUtWFop

[DURHAM D]

1. They should start by auditing Hospice billing (double billing) for Memory Patients.

[TexasProgresive]

2. We should all smoke, drink and eat highly marbled beef

Oh and rock climb, bungee jump, sky dive and street race. Live hard, die young and save the country money.

[Jacki]

3. Spam deleted by gkhouston (MIR Team)