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A graying nation

  • Americans aged 65+ make up 18% of the population1
  • By 2054, this will climb to an estimated 23% of the population1
  • Between 2024 and 2027, more Americans will turn 65 than at any other point in history2

Leading to a spike in the Medicare-eligible population

Bar chart aging population rising from 18% in 2024 to 23% in 2054

More seniors = more health issues

Common chronic conditions4

Bar chart on dark green: common chronic conditions in seniors, led by high blood pressure 60%
Two-tone green pie chart: 64% of adults 65+ have two or more chronic conditions

The impact of an aging population

More healthcare usage:

Adults aged 65+:

Visit doctors

20%

more frequently than younger adults3

Have a

3x

increase in hospitalization rates3

Account for more than

40%

of all inpatient operations5

More healthcare spending:

$22,356 per person

Personal healthcare spending for adults aged 65+ in 2020 (almost 2.5x higher than the spending per working-age person)6

9.2%

Projected federal spending on health programs for older adults in 2050, up from 6.6% of GDP in 20207

55%

Percentage of total health spending that people aged 55+ were responsible for in 2021 (despite making up 31% of the population). In comparison, people under age 35 accounted for 21% of health spending, but made up 44% of the population.8

More medication needs:

1/3

Adults aged 65+ account for over a third of all prescribed medications in the U.S.

89%

Adults 65+ who regularly take prescription drugs9

54%

Adults 65+ who take four (or more) prescription drugs9

A system under stress

139,000

Projected shortage of physicians by 20333

1.2 million

Projected shortage of registered nurses by 20303

21%

Percentage of nursing homes that are downsizing due to Staffing shortages10

Impact of healthcare worker shortage

Increased mortality | Less preventive care | Higher healthcare spending

Medicare Advantage provides a solution

MA members enjoy higher

  • Quality care11
  • Care coordination12
  • Rates of preventive screenings13
  • Rates of preventive care services14

MA members have less

  • High-risk medication use11
  • Inpatient admissions11
  • Hospital readmissions11
  • Emergency room visits15
Sources:
  1. https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2024/01/09/us-centenarian-population-is-projected-to-quadruple-over-the-next-30-years/
  2. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/retirement-medicare-401k-what-to-know-peak-65/
  3. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41514-024-00148-2
  4. https://www.ncoa.org/article/the-top-10-most-common-chronic-conditions-in-older-adults
  5. https://www.facs.org/media-center/press-releases/2024/acs-leads-development-of-new-cms-age-friendly-hospital-measure-to-improve-care-of-older-adult-patients/
  6. https://www.cms.gov/data-research/statistics-trends-and-reports/national-health-expenditure-data/nhe-fact-sheet
  7. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10998868/#:~:text=According%20to%20the%20Congressional%20Budget,of%20GDP%20in%20205021
  8. https://www.healthsystemtracker.org/chart-collection/health-expenditures-vary-across-population/
  9. https://www.kff.org/affordable-care-act/issue-brief/data-note-prescription-drugs-and-older-adults/
  10. https://www.ahcancal.org/News-and-Communications/Fact-Sheets/FactSheets/Access%20to%20Care%20Report%20August%202023.pdf
  11. https://www.ahip.org/news/press-releases/new-study-demonstrates-higher-quality-of-care-in-medicare-advantage-when-compared-to-original-medicare
  12. https://www.inovalon.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/FINAL-INS-23-2164-Harvard-Campaign-White-Paper-2.pdf
  13. https://www.ahip.org/news/articles/heres-how-medicare-advantage-is-outperforming-on-preventive-care
  14. https://www.kff.org/medicare/report/beneficiary-experience-affordability-utilization-and-quality-in-medicare-advantage-and-traditional-medicare-a-review-of-the-literature/
  15. https://www.forbes.com/sites/brucejapsen/2018/07/11/study-medicare-advantage-cut-er-visits-33-compared-to-fee-for-service/
To learn more, visit Humana Group Medicare
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