Heart failure (HF) affects approximately 6.5 million U.S. adults. Total direct medical costs of HF were estimated to be $21 billion in 2012 and are projected to increase to $53 billion by 2030, with the proportion contributed by the population over age 65 increasing from 81% to 88%, making the financial burden for Medicare significant. This study estimates the cost impact to the Medicare fee-for-service population associated with shifting the treatment of a portion of worsening heart failure cases from the inpatient hospital setting to outpatient settings.
This article was published by ClinicoEconomics and Outcomes Research.