Medical and nursing home costs: From cognitively unimpaired through dementia

Introduction: Efforts to model the cost-effectiveness of managing/modifying cognitive impairment lack reliable, objective, baseline medical, and nursing-home (NH) costs.

Methods: A stratified-random sample of Olmsted County, MN, residents ages 70-89 years (N = 3545), well-characterized as cognitively unimpaired, mild cognitive impairment (MCI), or dementia, were followed forward ≤1 year in provider-linked billing data and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services NH assessments. Direct medical/nursing home/medical + NH costs were estimated. Costs were stratified by vital status and NH-use intensity (NH days/follow-up days [0%, 1% to 24%, 25% to 99%, and 100%]). Between-category mean-annual cost differences were adjusted for patient characteristics and follow-up days.

Results: Costs/follow-up day distributions differed significantly across cognitive categories. Mean costs/follow-up days were 2.5 to 18 times higher for decedents versus survivors. Among all persons with MCI, <9% with any NH use accounted for 18% of all total annual medical + NH costs. Adjusted-between-category comparisons revealed significantly higher medical and medical + NH costs for MCI versus cognitively unimpaired.

Discussion: Cost-effectiveness for managing/modifying both MCI and dementia should consider end-of-life costs and NH-use intensity. Results can help inform cost-effectiveness models, predict future-care needs, and aid decision-making by individuals/providers/payers/policymakers.