A new report from the Alzheimer’s Association indicates this tragic disease should not only be feared by its symptoms but also be feared for what it costs. Seniors (age 65 and older) with Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) or other forms of dementia suffer three times the health-care costs of contemporaries. This report released today called 2009 Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures highlighted some chilling statistic and facts:
- As of 2009 5.3 million people have Alzheimer’s
- 148 Billion annual cost for Alzheimer’s care and treatment
- 9.9 Million unpaid caregivers
- A new case of Alzheimer’s is diagnosed every 70 seconds
- Alzheimer’s is the 6th leading cause of death passing diabetes
An article in the Senior Journal states:
In the new report, total health-care costs are calculated as per person payments measured from all sources. Medicare payments alone are almost three times higher for people with Alzheimer’s and dementia than for others age 65 and over; Medicaid payments alone are more than nine times higher.
The below chart Alzheimer’s Association 2009 Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures shows the sheer cost of this disease to the health care system.
| Average Per Person Payments | Beneficiaries with no Alzheimer’s or Other Dementias | Beneficiaries with Alzheimer’s or Other Dementias |
| Total payments* | $10,603 | $33,007 |
| Medicare payments | 5,272 | 15,145 |
| Medicaid payments | 718 | 6,605 |
| Private insurance payments |
1,466 | 1,847 |
| Other sources payments |
211 | 519 |
| HMO payments | 704 | 410 |
| Out-of-pocket payments |
1,916 | 2,464 |
| Uncompensated care | 201 | 261 |
Growing cases of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia are rising rapidly. Now someone develops Alzheimer’s every 70 seconds, but by mid-century someone will develop Alzheimer’s every 33 seconds. By 2010, there will be nearly a half million new cases of Alzheimer’s each year; and by 2050, there will be nearly a million new cases per year. The number one cause for claims on long term care insurance policies is the Alzheimer’s risk and other forms of dementia and if the above mentioned trend continues this will continue to be the case. At LTCtree we work with all the major blue-chip long term care insurance carriers and help our clients shop the market to find the best value. If you’d like to get some quotes and info mailed to you simply fill in this form. If you’d like to learn more, read through our LTC 101 class. Thanks for reading…we really appreciate. it.
