The number of people suffering from Alzheimer’s in the United States will likely triple to 13.8 million by 2050 and cost of care skyrocket, according to a new report.
Care for patients with Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia is expected to increase 500% by 2050, topping $1.1 trillion, according to the Alzheimer’s Association. About 70% of costs for Alzheimer’s care are billed to Medicare and Medicaid.
Patients with Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia will spend three times more on health care than patients with other types of illnesses, the association says. Medicare patients with Alzheimer’s and other dementias spent $43,847 on health care and long-term care services, compared to $13,879 spent by patients without those illnesses, the association said in a 2012 report.
The estimates of rising costs to care for the growing number of patients with Alzheimer’s are daunting say researchers and advocates.
Read More Here.
