Duals, Minorities Were Hardest Hit by COVID Among Medicare Beneficiaries, CMS Reports
In a preliminary analysis of fee-for-service Medicare claims and Medicare Advantage encounter data from Jan. 1, 2020, to July 24, 2021, CMS reported more than 4.6 million COVID-19 cases and 1.3 million related hospitalizations among all 63.1 million Medicare beneficiaries. Cases per 100,000 lives varied significantly by state, with Louisiana, Mississippi, New Jersey and New York seeing the highest rates. COVID-related hospitalizations were more prevalent among Medicare-Medicaid dual eligibles, particularly those who identify as Black or Hispanic. Medicare has paid $18.9 billion for fee-for-service COVID hospitalizations, as of July 24, 2021.
© 2025 MMIT