Reductions in deaths and hospitalizations associated with COVID-19 vaccinations among Medicare beneficiaries: full year 2021 estimates

Reductions in deaths and hospitalizations associated with COVID-19 vaccinations among Medicare beneficiaries: full year 2021 estimates

Collection:
Health Policy and Services Research
Series Title(s):
ASPE issue brief
Author(s):
Samson, Lok Wong, author
Sayed, Bisma Ali, author
Orav, E. J. (Endel John), author
Sheingold, Steven, author
Sommers, Benjamin D., author
Contributor(s):
United States. Department of Health and Human Services. Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation. Office of Health Policy, issuing body.
Publication:
Washington, D.C. : Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, Office of Health Policy, October 2022
Language(s):
English
Format:
Text
Subject(s):
COVID-19 -- mortality
COVID-19 Vaccines
Hospitalization -- statistics & numerical data
Medicare -- statistics & numerical data
Vaccination -- statistics & numerical data
Ethnicity
Mortality -- trends
Racial Groups
State Government
United States
Genre(s):
Technical Report
Abstract:
Previous ASPE research estimated that county-level primary COVID-19 vaccination rates through May 2021 were associated with reductions in mortality and hospitalizations among Medicare beneficiaries. This study updates those findings by extending the study period through the end of 2021, to include COVID-19 surges driven by the Delta variant in the summer and the Omicron variant in the winter. During 2021, we find the largest vaccine-related reductions in COVID-19 hospitalizations and deaths occurred during the summer Delta surge. Our model results indicate that COVID-19 vaccinations were associated with an estimated 670,000-680,000 fewer hospitalizations and 330,000–370,000 fewer deaths among all Medicare beneficiaries through the end of 2021. This represents a 39-47 percent reduction in these outcomes. Reductions in COVID-19 hospitalizations were associated with an estimated savings of $16.3-16.5 billion in direct hospitalization costs, a 6-fold increase in savings compared to our earlier study through May 2021. In the absence of any COVID-19 vaccinations in 2021, we estimate that there would have been more than 1.7 million COVID-19 hospitalizations and 700,000 deaths among the 64 million Medicare beneficiaries in 2021. Reductions in hospitalization and deaths linked to vaccination rates occurred in all racial and ethnic groups and in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico, highlighting the importance of achieving high levels of primary vaccinations in the US population to reduce morbidity and mortality, especially among older adults.
Copyright:
The National Library of Medicine believes this item to be in the public domain. (More information)
Extent:
1 online resource (1 PDF file (16 pages))
Illustrations:
Illustrations
NLM Unique ID:
9918540087206676 (See catalog record)
Permanent Link:
http://resource.nlm.nih.gov/9918540087206676