The Impact of Alzheimer’s Care: A Managed Care Perspective

Image from Freestock

Alzheimer’s is the most common cause of dementia, affecting 6.5 million people in the US alone. Unfortunately, a crisis is brewing in many countries aging populations; the number of people facing the disease will double in the next 40 years. A newly published article in the AJMC breaks down the societal and economic impact of the disease and explains the role of managed care in the relieving this burden.

According to the article, “The progressive nature of AD and the lack of disease-modifying therapies contributes to the substantial economic and societal burden of illness on the US healthcare system. The total cost of treating individuals with AD and associated dementia is projected to increase from $321 billion in 2022 to over $1 trillion by 2050 (Figures 11 and 28). Recent aggregate cost-of-care data by payer type show Medicare and Medicaid assuming approximately two-thirds of these costs. The remaining costs include out-of-pocket costs, which are typically borne by the patient and their families, and “other” payment sources, defined as private insurance, health maintenance or managed care organizations, and uncompensated care.1”

To read more, click here.

(Source: AJMC, September 12^th, 2022)