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Prevalence of Diagnosed Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias in Medicare Advantage
Eric Jutkowitz, Julie Bynum, Susan L. Mitchell, Noelle M. Cocoros, Oren Shapira, Richard Platt, Ellen P. McCarthy. Innovation in Aging, 2020-12-01
Topic: Amyloid, tau and blood-test diagnosis
Abstract A third of Medicare beneficiaries are enrolled in Medicare Advantage (MA); however, little is known about MA beneficiaries diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (AD/ADRD). MA plans have incentives that may influence the type of beneficiaries who enroll/disenroll from plans and the documentation of diagnoses. We calculated the prevalence of diagnosed AD/ADRD in 2014 and 2016 in three MA plans representing ~30% of the MA market. We identified beneficiaries ≥65 years of age enrolled in the MA plans in 2014 and 2016. Among eligible beneficiaries, we identified individuals with AD/ADRD using ICD-9 (2014) and ICD-10 (2016) codes included in the Medicare Chronic Conditions Warehouse algorithms for AD/ADRD. We determined the age and sex of beneficiaries diagnosed with AD/ADRD, and whether they disenrolled from the MA plan for any reason (e.g., death, enrollment in a different MA plan, enrollment in traditional Medicare or discontinuation of a plan) within 364 days from the date they were first identified has having AD/ADRD (i.e., index date). In 2014 and 2016 the prevalence of AD/ADRD diagnoses was 5.7% and 6.5%, respectively. In 2016, AD/ADRD beneficiaries were on average 82.4 (SD=7.3) years of age, 61.8% female, and had multiple comorbidities. By 364 days post-index, 32% of beneficiaries with diagnosed AD/ADRD had disenrolled from their plan. The characteristics of 2014 beneficiaries with diagnosed AD/ADRD were similar to their 2016 counterparts. In conclusion, MA beneficiaries with AD/ADRD are predominately female, have multimorbidity, and the age-stratified prevalence of AD/ADRD diagnoses is lower than rates reported in traditional Medicare.
Key findings
- In conclusion, MA beneficiaries with AD/ADRD are predominately female, have multimorbidity, and the age-stratified prevalence of AD/ADRD diagnoses is lower than rates reported in traditional Medicare.
Why it matters
This study calculated how common diagnosed Alzheimer's disease and related dementias were in three Medicare Advantage plans in 2014 and 2016, finding prevalence was lower than rates reported in traditional Medicare. It is about diagnosis documentation, not about treating, curing, or preventing Alzheimer's disease.
Study details
- Effect size5.7%; 6.5%; 61.8%
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 33/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, studied in people and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Innovation in Aging) |
| Journal's citation record | 0 / 4 | Innovation in Aging: journal h-index 48 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 2 / 5 | 2020 — within 10 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 2 / 3 | Effect reported as a number, without an interval or test |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 0 / 7 | Cited 0 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 0 / 5 | 0.0 citations a year over 8 year(s) since 2020 |
| Impact for its field and year | 0 / 6 | Cited 0.0× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 0 / 6 | No other study in this library cites it |
| Still being cited | 0 / 4 | Cited 0 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 3 / 4 | Last-listed author Ellen P. McCarthy: h-index 67 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 3 / 3 | Harvard University: institution h-index 3,235 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 2 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 5 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 1 / 2 | Not in PubMed, but has a DOI |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Total | 33 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. The record names 7 authors; APA and Vancouver show the first six, BibTeX and the downloads carry all of them. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Jutkowitz, E., Bynum, J., Mitchell, S. L., Cocoros, N. M., Shapira, O., Platt, R., et al. (2020). Prevalence of Diagnosed Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias in Medicare Advantage. Innovation in Aging. https://doi.org/10.1093/geroni/igaa057.190
Vancouver
Jutkowitz E, Bynum J, Mitchell SL, Cocoros NM, Shapira O, Platt R, et al. Prevalence of Diagnosed Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias in Medicare Advantage. Innovation in Aging. 2020. doi:10.1093/geroni/igaa057.190.
BibTeX
@article{jutkowitz2020-4ccb4f81,
author = {Jutkowitz, Eric and Bynum, Julie and Mitchell, Susan L. and Cocoros, Noelle M. and Shapira, Oren and Platt, Richard and McCarthy, Ellen P.},
title = {{Prevalence of Diagnosed Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias in Medicare Advantage}},
journal = {Innovation in Aging},
year = {2020},
doi = {10.1093/geroni/igaa057.190},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1093/geroni/igaa057.190}
}
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