Medicare Data Shows Trends in Home Healthcare Use for Dementia Patients

A recent analysis of Medicare data from 2010 to 2019 reveals a significant increase in the use of home healthcare services among individuals with dementia, particularly for community-initiated care and postacute care. Community-initiated home healthcare usage grew by 17%, while postacute care usage rose by 21%. However, a decline in home healthcare utilization was observed after 2020, potentially due to staffing shortages in the home healthcare sector.

The study highlights gaps in Medicare and Medicaid coverage for home healthcare, noting that Medicare primarily supports skilled care needs and Medicaid requires stringent asset and income tests. The reduction in service use since 2020 in this high-need population underscores the importance of ongoing tracking of home healthcare utilization and outcomes for dementia patients. The research used traditional Medicare claims data and acknowledged potential limitations such as underdiagnosis during the COVID-19 pandemic and lower usage rates among Medicare Advantage enrollees.