The CMS Office of Minority Health has released an interactive map to help people understand how geographic disparities in chronic disease exist among Medicare beneficiaries. By boosting awareness around this topic, the office aims to inform policy decisions and target interventions toward the populations and geographies that need them most.
"Our commitment to health equity begins with properly measuring the care people get and having an honest dialogue on how and where we need to improve," said CMS Acting Administrator Andy Slavitt. "[The] tool aims to make it harder for disparities to go unaddressed."
The interactive map includes data on the prevalence of various chronic conditions, end-stage renal disease or a disability; Medicare spending, hospital and emergency department utilization, preventable hospitalizations, readmissions and mortality rates. Individuals using the tool can sort data by state or county of residence, sex, age, dual-eligibility for Medicare and Medicaid, and race and ethnicity.
To access the Mapping Medicare Disparities Tool, click here.
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