Headline
A multidisciplinary care coordination program for older adults with dementia demonstrated a positive return on investment and Medicaid cost savings.
Background
Many older adults with dementia live at home and desire to age in place. Maximizing Independence (MIND) at Home is a home-based care coordination program that connects older adults and their caregivers with a team of providers who specialize in dementia care, including a community worker that serves as a memory care coordinator. This study calculated the cost per participant to deliver this program and estimated Medicaid cost savings.
Findings
The cost of program delivery was calculated to be $1,320 per year per participant, using documented salary, benefit, and encounter data for 342 program participants. Administrative claims were compared for Medicare-Medicaid dually eligible individuals participating in the program and non-participants to compare Medicaid costs between the groups. Medicaid spending was lower for MIND at Home participants than non-participants in the five years following enrollment for inpatient and long-term care. Total Medicaid expenditures per participant were $7,062 per quarter, compared to $7,937 for non-participants. These savings resulted in a $1.12 return for each dollar spent on the program.
Policy/Program Takeaways
Care coordination programs like MIND at Home can be delivered at a low cost to reduce acute and long-term care use among older adults with dementia. These programs can be implemented under the Guiding an Improved Dementia Experience (GUIDE) Model and within various health plans, including accountable and managed care organizations and Medicare Advantage.