Health Care

HEALTH DATA ON FREDERICK COUNTY SENIORS

Frederick County AERS (Adult Evaluation and Review Services) Program

• 983 residents evaluated in 2021*

Frederick Health Hospital/Emergency Room Data (12-01-17 through 11-30-19**)

• 12,471 individuals over the age of 62 with limited financial means (determined by payment source) arrived at ED
  • 85.6% of total arrived by ambulance
  • 53% were discharged from ED
  • 33.4% received inpatient admission
  • 12.8% admitted for observation
  • <1% received an inpatient behavioral health unit admission or same day surgery
• Of the 12,471 individuals, 11,337 were unique patients with 1,134 seniors coming into the ED more than once in the 2-year time period.
• Chronic Diseases
  • 52% of the 11,337 had a diagnosis of chronic disease:
    • 26.3%  diabetes
    • 27.5%  mental health disorder
    • 13.2%  congestive heart failure
    • 10.6%  congestive heart failure
    • 10.2%  substance use disorder
• Falls
  • Just over 12% of the 11,337 individuals had a fall with injury included in their diagnosis at the time of visit
• Costs
  • Total hospital charges for this specific population during this time frame: $109,895,467
    • 86% of this total cost ($94,350,018) were for patients with chronic disease:
      • Mental Health Disorder:  $65,397,218
      • Diabetes   $47,995,552

*2021 Annual Report, Frederick County Health Department

**Senior Population of Frederick County with Limited Health Insurance Data Report, Frederick Health Hospital, December 2019

Health Insurance for seniors 65 years of age or older (2020 ACS)

• 94.8%  Medicare coverage alone or in combination
• 7.4%    Medicaid/means-tested public coverage alone or in combination
• 5.4%    VA health care coverage alone or in combination
• Just 205 individuals reported no healthcare coverage, ages 65 and older

Dual Eligibility

In fiscal year (FY) 2020, dual-eligible beneficiaries [individuals covered by both Medicaid and Medicare] in Maryland represented around 15 percent of the Medicare population and less than 11 percent of the Medicaid population. In relation to their size of the population, these duals represent a disproportionate share of both the Maryland Medicaid budget and Medicare expenditures in the State. In Calendar Year (CY) 2016, total Medicaid expenditures for full-benefit duals was approximately $2.18 billion, which is roughly 26 percent of the program’s total expenditures on only 11 percent of the population.*

• In CY 2012, Frederick County has a total of 2,438 Full-Dual Eligibles**
• 1,253 of these individuals were aged 65 and older and represented 56% of all Medicaid enrollees aged 65 and older
• Two-fifths of all CY2012 Maryland full-benefit dual-eligibles had 6 or more chronic conditions
• The most prevalent chronic conditions in those aged 65 and over were high blood pressure, high cholesterol, anemia, diabetes, and Alzheimer’s
• On average, full-benefit dual-eligible beneficiaries with six or more chronic conditions incurred costs of $61,856 per person, while those with only one chronic condition had costs of $7,431

*Analysis of Health Services Cost Review Commission (HSCRC) Programs on Dual Medicare / Medicaid Beneficiaries Joint Chairman’s Report November 2020

**Maryland Dual-Eligible Beneficiaries: CY 2010 to CY 2012 A Chart Book February 16, 2016, prepared for the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene by The Hilltop Institute