Caregivers' Utilization of Health Services: Results from the Medicare Alzheimer's Disease Demonstration, Illinois Site

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to examine the effect of the Medicare Alzheimer's Disease Demonstration and Evaluation (MADDE) conducted in Illinois on the use of health services and Medicare expenditures by caregivers of persons with dementia. Prospective randomized clinical trial. The MADDE (1989-1994), Illinois site. A cohort of 412 Medicare-eligible caregivers of persons with dementia. Medicare claims files provided data on the number of hospitalizations, hospital bed days, emergency department visits, and total Medicare Part A expenditures. After adjustment for baseline variables, the caregivers in the treatment group, when compared with those in the comparison group, had a lower likelihood of any hospitalization during the study period (odds ratio 0.58 (95% confidence interval (CI)=0.35-0.97), P= .037) and a reduced, but not significant, likelihood of emergency department use (odds ratio 0.66 (95% CI=0.40-1.08), P= .095). For those who were hospitalized, there were no significant differences between the treatment and comparison group caregivers in the number of hospitalizations, hospital length of stay, or Medicare payments. These results suggest that enhanced chronic illness case management directed at persons with dementia and their caregivers can reduce the need for acute hospital care.