The real cost of Medicare

• 20% — Percentage of older Americans who suffer from five or more chronic conditions.
• 20% — Percentage of Medicare beneficiaries who are re-hospitalized within 30 days of discharge;
• One-third — Percentage of Medicare beneficiaries who are readmitted within 90 days, according to a recent study reported in the New England Journal of Medicine study (April 2009).
• 50% — Percentage of readmitted beneficiaries who had not seen a doctor in the 30 days since their discharge.
• 17.4 billion — Estimated amount Medicare spent on re-hospitalizations in 2004.
• 20% — Approximate percentage of older adults with chronic conditionts who said their health had suffered due to poor communication.*
• 18% — Percentage of older adults who said that their transitional care was not well coordinated.*

Source: New England Journal of Medicine