EC-READ 2025 Project 5: Timing of Dementia Diagnosis: Implications for Medicaid Enrollment and Financial Planning

The timing of an AD/ADRD diagnosis plays a pivotal role in shaping care pathways, determining resources utilization, and influencing patient and caregiver outcomes. An earlier diagnosis allows for more proactive planning, decreasing the risk of a crisis-driven care transition. This project quantifies the delays in dementia diagnosis and its variation across socioeconomic groups, and examines the effect of diagnosis timing on subsequent outcomes, including long-term care service use, Medicaid enrollment, and financial planning.