US Medicare’s Dementia Support Program for Patient and Caregivers

Abstract

As the number of dementia patients continues to rise, the absence of a long-term care system and support scheme has long added considerably to the physical, mental, and financial burdens not only on patients themselves but also on their families and caregivers. Medicare, a public health insurance program for people aged 65 and older, as well as people with disabilities, launched its Guiding an Improved Dementia Experience (GUIDE) model in July 2024, aiming to reduce the care burden on families and help people with dementia continue living in their communities. The GUIDE model offers coordinated care, care management services, and ad-hoc nursing care for patients, along with support and education for family caregivers. Participating entities must have physicians and care navigators capable of managing dementia patients. Whether the GUIDE model will continue will be determined based on assessments following its 8-year pilot phase.