Alzheimer's and Multiple Chronic Conditions
Seniors with Alzheimer's and other dementias are more likely than other Seniors to have multiple chronic conditions. More than 85 percent of Alzheimer's patients have multiple diagnosis such as hypertension, heart disease, diabetes, and 22 percent have had a stroke. A person with Alzheimer's and other dementias is 4.4 times more likely to have 6 other chronic conditions as someone without Alzheimer's
As a consequence, Alzheimer's makes the management of these other conditions more difficult and increases the cost of their treatment. For instance a patient with both Alzheimer's and Diabetes cost Medicare 81 percent more than patients with Diabetes alone.
This increased cost of treatment is similar for other chronic conditions of seniors. Some Alzheimer's patients live with the disease for 20 yrs compounding these cost.
Hospitalization and readmission are higher for Alzheimer's and other dementias. The average stay for these patients is 22 days longer, each year, than other seniors and one quarter of the readmissions may be preventable
These higher Medicare cost were estimated to be $4.7 billion in 2013 alone.
Establishing Alzheimer's as a National Health Crisis through the BOLD Act, H.R.4256/S. 2076 would reduce these readmissions by providing interventions such as earlier diagnosis and better planning of care.
I ask you urge your Congressman and Senators to cosponsor this important legislation. I thank Congressman David Scott of Georgia District for his Cosponsorship of the BOLD Act and ongoing support of Alzheimer's research.
