In the workforce, what is the most common age group of individuals suffering from four or more multiple chronic conditions?

According to an analysis of insurance health claims data, Benefit Performance Associates found the average age of those suffering from four or more multiple chronic conditions (MCC) to be 50.5 years of age. Health claims data for more than 1000 individuals were analyzed, finding that this same population tends to have the highest risk of future healthcare expenditures^1-2. The National Institute for Health Care Management Foundation published an analysis of Medical Expenditure Panel Survey data in 2012 on “The Concentration of Health Spending.” Not only did these findings support the data analyzed by BPA in regard to age, but also found that the persistence of high spenders was among this group³.

Research also shows that the average age for retirement ranges from 62-64, leaving this population with approximately 15 years left in the workforce⁴. With the population of those suffering from MCC projected to rise yearly, the need for an improved, integrated form of healthcare is required to contain rising healthcare costs. Individualized, patient-centered care is necessary to properly identify the needs of these individuals, in that each disease affects individuals differently. With a host of multiple conditions among the working force, integrated care appears to be the best solution. As an effective multi-disciplinary disease management program, the Integrated Health Advocacy Program (IHAP) has proven to enhance the quality of life in this population by utilizing proven qualities of care. To learn more about achieving these results with IHAP, contact Dawn Tishkoff at 630-761-4427 or dtishkoff@ihap.com.

1 Benefit Performance Associates. (2016). Health Claims Data Analysis.

2 Krause, C.M., Jones, C.S., Joyce, S., Kuhn, M.E.J., Curtin, K., Murphy, L.P., Krause, C.M.J., Boan, B., and Lucas, D.R. (2006). The impact of a multidisciplinary, integrated approach on improving the health and quality of care for individuals dealing with multiple chronic conditions. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 76(1), 109-114.

3 Schoenman, J. The Concentration of Health Care Spending. NICHM Foundation Data Brief July 2012. Retrieved from http://www.nihcm.org/pdf/DataBrief3%20Final.pdf.

4 Munnell A. (2015). The average retirement age—An update (Working Paper 15-4). Chestnut Hill, MA: Center for Retirement Research at Boston College.