Did you know?

• An estimated 6.2 million Americans aged 65 and older are living with dementia?

• More than 11 million Americans provide unpaid care for people with Alzheimer’s or other dementias? 

In 2013, 21% of hospitalizations for Medicare enrollees with dementia were either for unplanned re-admissions within 30 days or for an ambulatory care sensitive condition (a condition that was potentially avoidable with timely and effective ambulatory outpatient care). The total cost of these potentially preventable hospitalizations was $4.7 billion ($5.7 in 2020 dollars).*

Medicare covers a separate visit for a cognitive assessment so you can more thoroughly evaluate cognitive function and help with care planning for your patients with cognitive impairment. Effective January 1, 2021, Medicare increased payment for these services to $282 (may be geographically adjusted) when provided in an office setting, added these services to the definition of primary care services in the Medicare Shared Savings Program, and permanently covers these services via telehealth.

*Alzheimer’s Association. 2021 Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures. Alzheimers Dement 2021;17(3).

The Practice Support team at Northwest AHEC has created a free online guide to Cognitive Assessment and Care Plan Services.

Use the link below to access the guide: