Medicare Should Cover Driving Assessments for Seniors

Researchers highlight the urgent need for a healthcare system that effectively evaluates and addresses driving safety for at-risk older drivers.

In 2020, nearly 48 million licensed drivers were over the age of 65. In this age group, car crashes resulted in 7,480 fatalities and 149,881 non-fatal injuries. Additionally, around 17% of individuals older than 65 (approximately 8.2 million) suffer from mild cognitive impairment, putting them at an increased risk of crashes. Assessing driving skills in these individuals cannot be effectively done in a doctor’s office. Although driving safety evaluation programs for older adults do exist, Medicare does not cover these assessments ().

Researchers Call for Medicare Coverage of Driving Safety Evaluations

Researchers have analyzed the current landscape of driving safety evaluations and the challenges associated with them in a viewpoint published in JAMA Neurology. They are advocating for Medicare to cover driving safety evaluations, which would provide healthcare professionals with essential information to determine whether a patient can drive safely.

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‘#Medicare should cover driving assessments for at-risk older adults to enhance road safety and protect our seniors.’

“Driving is a multifaceted activity that requires learned skills and the coordination of complex cognitive and physical functions. As we age, we are vulnerable to declines in our cognitive, visual and motor skills that can impact our ability to drive safely,” said corresponding author Kirk Daffner. “Therefore, it is imperative to support programs in our healthcare system that can evaluate driving safety of at-risk individuals in a manner analogous to Medicare’s coverage of a fall risk assessment.”

Without the support of Medicare, the financial burden of a comprehensive driving evaluation can be prohibitive. In Massachusetts, for instance, comprehensive driving assessment costs about $500 to $800 - a significant expense that many drivers with mild cognitive impairment and their families may not be able to afford, leaving them without the necessary support and guidance on whether it is safe to continue driving.

Moreover, the cost of not identifying potentially dangerous drivers can be substantial. Annual Medicare expenses for traumatic injuries in 2016 were estimated to be more than $16 billion, and motor vehicle crashes were the third-most leading cause of traumatic brain injury-related hospitalizations, emergency room visits, and deaths.

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“The implications of this analysis are significant, extending beyond academic discourse, and highlighting the need to reconsider the current approach to driving safety assessment,” added Daffner. “Motor vehicle crashes can be devastating, and impaired drivers pose safety risks for not only themselves, but also the public at large. Accurate assessment about driving fitness is critical to mitigating harm and improving safety on the road. It is time for Medicare to cover driving safety evaluation programs.”

Reference:

It Is Time for Medicare to Cover Driving Safety Assessments - (https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamaneurology/article-abstract/2822376)

Source-Eurekalert

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