Objective:
This study examined the extent to which chronic comorbidities contribute to excess health care expenditures between older adults with dementia and propensity score (PS)-matched nondementia controls.
Methods:
This was a retrospective, cross-sectional, PS-matched case (dementia): control (nondementia) study of older adults (65 y or above) using alternative years data from pooled 2005 to 2015 Medical Expenditure Panel Surveys (MEPS). Chronic comorbidities were identified based on Clinical Classifications System or ICD-9-CM codes. Ordinary least squares regression was utilized to quantify the impact of chronic comorbidities on the excess expenditures with logarithmic transformation. Expenditures were expressed as 2019 US dollars. All analyses accounted for the complex survey design of MEPS.
Results:
The mean yearly home health care expenditures were…
