Virginia Medicaid Nursing Home Residents With Dementia & A Psychiatric Diagnosis Rose 40%

Between 2011 and 2013, Virginia Medicaid data indicated that the prevalence of psychiatric diagnoses rose by 40% among long-stay nursing home residents diagnosed with dementia and taking antipsychotics. In 2011, about 1.5% of Virginia Medicaid long-stay residents with dementia and taking an antipsychotic also had a diagnosis of schizophrenia, Tourette’s syndrome, or Huntington’s disease. In 2013, about 2.1% of such residents had one of the three psychiatric diagnoses. During the five years prior to 2011, there had been no change in the rates of these diagnoses.

These findings were reported in “Increased Reporting of . . .