Alzheimer's costs could overwhelm Medicare, Medicaid: July 30.The rate of Medicare beneficiaries identified as having Alzheimer's disease Alzheimer's disease (ăls`hī'mərz, ôls–), degenerative disease of nerve cells in the cerebral cortex that leads to atrophy of the brain and senile dementia. rose 250% during the 1990s, says a study by Duke University researchers. This study and three others suggest that Alzheimer's disease is the public health crisis of the 21st century as diagnosis and awareness of the disease increases. "Unless a prevention or cure is found soon, Alzheimer's disease will overwhelm our already stretched health care system and bankrupt Medicare and Medicaid Medicare and Medicaid U.S. government programs in effect since 1966. Medicare covers most people 65 or older and those with long-term disabilities. Part A, a hospital insurance plan, also pays for home health visits and hospice care. ," said Sheldon Goldberg, president and CEO (1) (Chief Executive Officer) The highest individual in command of an organization. Typically the president of the company, the CEO reports to the Chairman of the Board. of the Alzheimer's Association The Alzheimer's Association, incorportated on April 10, 1980 as the Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Disorders Association, Inc., is a non-profit American voluntary health organization which focuses on care, support and research for Alzheimer's disease. . "Medicare expenditures for people with Alzheimer's are almost three times higher than the average for all beneficiaries." He said Medicare spending for beneficiaries with Alzheimer's will triple between now and 2015, from $62 billion in 2000 to $189 billion in 2015. State and federal Medicaid spending on nursing home care for people with Alzheimer's disease is estimated to rise from $19 billion in 2000 to $27 billion in 2015. The Alzheimer's Association notes that as baby boomers See generation X. enter the age of greatest risk, the number of new cases will increase by nearly 1 million each year. The total number of people with the disease is expected to grow from an estimated 4.5 million today to as many as 16 million by 2050. Current national direct and indirect costs Indirect costs are costs that are not directly accountable to a particular function or product; these are fixed costs. Indirect costs include taxes, administration, personnel and security costs. See also
The study was presented at the Alzheimer's Association's Ninth International Conference on Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders. |
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