How Medicare plans shape dementia care and family burden
Care for Persons with Dementia in Medicare Advantage and Traditional Medicare: Family Spillovers and Disparities
['FUNDING_R01'] · UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO DENVER · NIH-11323042
This project compares how Medicare Advantage versus Traditional Medicare affects care, costs, and family caregiving for people with Alzheimer's and related dementias.
Quick facts
| Phase | ['FUNDING_R01'] |
|---|---|
| Study type | Nih_funding |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO DENVER (nih funded) |
| Locations | 1 site (Aurora, UNITED STATES) |
| Trial ID | NIH-11323042 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this research studies
If you or a loved one has Alzheimer's or a related dementia, this project looks at differences between Medicare Advantage and Traditional Medicare in what care is covered and how care is coordinated. Researchers will examine how plan rules, benefit designs, and the use of predictive software influence coverage denials, out-of-pocket bills, and reliance on family caregivers. They will track financial, physical, and mental impacts on informal caregivers and whether these effects differ by race and socioeconomic status. The team will use Medicare plan and healthcare use records combined with information about family caregiving to understand these patterns.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Medicare beneficiaries with Alzheimer's disease or related dementias and their informal caregivers, especially those enrolled in Medicare Advantage or Traditional Medicare, are the target group.
Not a fit: People without Medicare, those without dementia, or individuals not involved with caregiving are unlikely to be included or to directly benefit.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Results could inform policy or benefit changes that reduce unexpected costs and improve coordinated care for people with dementia and their families.
How similar studies have performed: Previous studies have shown differences between Medicare types for general health use and costs, but focusing specifically on dementia outcomes and family spillovers is less common and partly novel.
Where this research is happening
Aurora, UNITED STATES
- UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO DENVER — Aurora, UNITED STATES (ACTIVE)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: NICHOLAS, LAUREN HERSCH — UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO DENVER
- Study coordinator: NICHOLAS, LAUREN HERSCH
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Conditions: Alzheimer's Disease and its related dementias, Alzheimer's disease and related dementia, Alzheimer's disease and related disorders, Alzheimer's disease and related forms of dementia, Alzheimer's disease or a related dementia