title: Alcohol consumption in older adults and Medicare costs.
abstract: We determined the relationship of alcohol consumption and Medicare costs among 4,392 participants in the Cardiovascular Health Study (CHS), a longitudinal, population-based cohort study of adults age 65 or over in four U.S. communities. We assessed 5-year Parts A and B costs and self-reported intake of beer, wine, and liquor at baseline. Among both sexes, total costs were approximately $2,000 lower among consumers of > 1-6 drinks per week than abstainers. The lower costs associated with moderate drinking were most apparent among participants with cardiovascular disease (CVD) and for hospitalization costs for CVD among healthy participants. Former drinkers had the highest costs.
authors.affiliation: Division of General Medicine and Primary Care, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA 02215, USA. kmukamal@bidmc.harvard.edu
authors.forename: Kenneth J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Mukamal
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lumley
authors.forename: Russell V
authors.initials: RV
authors.lastname: Luepker
authors.forename: Pauline
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lapin
authors.forename: Murray A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Mittleman
authors.forename: A Marshall
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: McBean
authors.forename: Rosa M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Crum
authors.forename: David S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Siscovick
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases; D005260:Female; D005102:Health Expenditures / Q000639:trends; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D006278:Medicare / Q000191:economics*; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology