Have you booked your annual In-Home Health Evaluation? Schedule now.
Have you booked your annual In-Home Health Evaluation? Schedule now.
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2 min read
By Signify Health Team on Aug 23, 2023 12:14:11 PM
Chronic kidney disease (CKD) impacts over 37 million U.S. adults, yet according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, most cases go undiagnosed. Without detection and proper management, CKD often progresses to kidney failure and the need for dialysis or transplant. Hospitalization rates for those with CKD are more than double that of the general Medicare population, and CKD diagnosis was associated with 1.2-fold higher risk for subsequent admission and 1.4-fold higher risk for fatal hospitalization compared with patients without CKD.
The financial impact of CKD can be devastating as well. Medicare spends approximately $25,920 annually per patient with CKD due to elevated risks and comorbidities, more than double the annual cost of enrollees without CKD ($12,332). The overall Medicare costs for people with CKD totaled $87.2 billion in 2019. Additionally, those who are undiagnosed are at elevated risk for End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD), which accounts for an additional $37.3 billion in Medicare costs.
To improve early detection and better support care management and treatment interventions, Signify Health now offers in-home kidney health evaluations as part of our Diagnostic and Preventive Services for Medicare Advantage members. The screenings include urinalysis and estimated glomerular filtration rate testing at no additional cost to health plan members. By bringing these vital services into the home, we aim to increase access to preventive care, enable earlier diagnosis and treatment, and close care gaps that if left unclosed may lead to more cases of undiagnosed CKD.
“Early detection and management of chronic kidney disease is critical to avoid progression to dialysis, transplant, or cardiovascular issues,” said Heidi Schwarzwald, MD, Chief Medical Officer for Signify Health Home and Community Services. “Our goal is to have Signify Health clinicians work closely with patients to promote lifestyle changes and connect them back to their treating providers to begin medications that can alter the course of kidney disease and avoid downstream effects that can significantly impact the quality of life.”
At Signify Health, we aim to make care more connected and effective for those we are privileged to serve. Adding kidney health evaluations to our in-home screenings is one important way we can help detect CKD earlier and improve health outcomes.
Contact us to learn more about our kidney health and other in-home screening offered in conjunction with our In-home Health Evaluation.
