Alzheimer’s is the most costly disease to treat today, with one out of every five dollars spent by Medicaid and Medicare going to treating the disease.
If the current Alzheimer’s cost trend continues, one out of every three dollars spent by Medicaid and Medicare will go toward treating the disease, according to FOX News in “Could Alzheimer’s really bankrupt Medicare and Medicaid.”
If the costs are not brought down dramatically, the future of both programs could be in jeopardy. Why? Americans are living longer and longer, which means that more people are or will be in need of Alzheimer’s treatment.
Both programs are already extremely expensive and face financial difficulties in the future. With their present funding, they will not be able to afford a large increase in Alzheimer’s diagnoses and treatments.
What does this mean?
Research into preventing and curing the disease is more important than ever. The development of new, less expensive treatment methods would also be helpful.
This is another of the many ways that an aging population could threaten the country’s current institutions and practices, unless action is taken. Our programs were not designed with a substantial increase in longevity in mind.
