How Medicare Keeps Chronic Conditions in Check
The majority of Americans have at least one chronic medical condition.
This is why Medicare created the Chronic Care Management (CCM) program.
The number of people reachingMedicare agehas been increasing since World War II.
Verywell / Joules Garcia
This is due to an increase in births from 1946 to 1964, referred to as the Baby Boom.
People with chronic medical conditions are likely to use more healthcare services than people without them.
The most expensive ones are diabetes,Alzheimers disease, and osteoarthritis.
Other conditions are more likely to be associated with a need for hospital care.
Direct vs.
Indirect Health Costs
Direct health costs are those related to medical care.
These include any interventions or equipment used to manage a condition.
Extra home care and childcare, for example, could fall into this category.
Coordination of care is key.
From a patient perspective, this can lead to mixed messaging.
It may not be clear whichmedications you should takeif different providers make changes without communicating with each other.
Not only that, healthcare costs can go up if tests are repeated unnecessarily.
It also looks to give 24/7 access to care so that people with chronic conditions have better health outcomes.
Those conditions put you at risk for disease complications, flare-ups, functional decline, or even death.
Your doctor will still see you for your regularly scheduled office visits.
Better yet is your access to care.
They must also be available 24/7 for emergency care.
Their risk for inpatient hospitalization decreased by 4.7%.
Specifically, hospitalizations related to congestive heart failure,dehydration, diabetes, andurinary tract infectionswere statistically reduced.
People also reported being more satisfied with their care.
Should You Enroll in Chronic Care Management?
The CCM program has a lot to offer, but it is not free.
The time your healthcare professional spends coordinating care each month and reviewing your records will be billed to Medicare.
Medicare reimburses the physician 80%, and you will pay a Part B 20% coinsurance.
On average, that would be $8 each month.
Many Medicare beneficiaries are on fixed incomes and may not be able to afford this monthly charge.
It improves access to care, increases patient satisfaction, and decreases long-term medical complications.
If you could afford the monthly fee, it may be worth considering.
Talk to your doctor about your options.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Chronic diseases.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Percent of U.S. adults 55 and over with chronic conditions.
Census Bureau.The baby boom cohort in the United States: 2012 to 2060.
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.National health expenditure data.
Milken Institute.The costs of chronic disease in the U.S.
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.Chronic care management services.
KFF.Total number of Medicare beneficiaries by key in of coverage.
2018;33(11):1892-1898. doi:10.1007/s11606-018-4562-z
