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Medical Costs of Fatal and Nonfatal Falls in Older Adults
Author(s) -
Florence Curtis S.,
Bergen Gwen,
Atherly Adam,
Burns Elizabeth,
Stevens Judy,
Drake Cynthia
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
journal of the american geriatrics society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.992
H-Index - 232
eISSN - 1532-5415
pISSN - 0002-8614
DOI - 10.1111/jgs.15304
Subject(s) - medicine , medicaid , population , injury prevention , gerontology , poison control , occupational safety and health , demography , behavioral risk factor surveillance system , environmental health , medical emergency , health care , pathology , sociology , economics , economic growth
Objectives To estimate medical expenditures attributable to older adult falls using a methodology that can be updated annually to track these expenditures over time. Design Population data from the National Vital Statistics System (NVSS) and cost estimates from the Web‐based Injury Statistics Query and Reporting System (WISQARS) for fatal falls, quasi‐experimental regression analysis of data from the Medicare Current Beneficiaries Survey (MCBS) for nonfatal falls. Setting U.S. population aged 65 and older during 2015. Participants Fatal falls from the 2015 NVSS (N=28,486); respondents to the 2011 MCBS (N=3,460). Measurements Total spending attributable to older adult falls in the United States in 2015, in dollars. Results In 2015, the estimated medical costs attributable to fatal and nonfatal falls was approximately $50.0 billion. For nonfatal falls, Medicare paid approximately $28.9 billion, Medicaid $8.7 billion, and private and other payers $12.0 billion. Overall medical spending for fatal falls was estimated to be $754 million. Conclusion Older adult falls result in substantial medical costs. Measuring medical costs attributable to falls will provide vital information about the magnitude of the problem and the potential financial effect of effective prevention strategies.