AARP Hearing Center
A new report released July 28 by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) highlights the pandemic's impact on the Medicare population, and the trends mirror what's happening nationwide: Minorities are disproportionately affected by the coronavirus and the illness it causes.
Black beneficiaries were hospitalized at higher rates than other racial and ethnic groups, the data collected from Jan. 1 to June 20 shows. COVID-19 cases were also highest among Blacks. Previously, the number of hospitalizations among American Indian and Alaskan Native beneficiaries was too low to be reported. Now, this population has the second-highest rate of COVID-19 hospitalizations and third-highest rate of coronavirus cases, the new report shows. Meanwhile, Hispanic beneficiaries had the third-highest rate of hospitalizations and second-highest rate of reported infections.
![member card Image Alt Attribute](https://cdn.aarp.net/content/dam/experience-fragments/uxdia-folder-structure/en/features/membership/inline-membership-promo/default/master5/_jcr_content/root/responsivegrid/container_copy/container/articleimage.coreimg.75.1140.png/content/dam/uxdia/membership-card-d-and-t.png)
LIMITED TIME OFFER: Labor Day Sale!
Join AARP for just $9 per year with a 5-year membership and get a FREE Gift!
The most vulnerable older adults have been hit hardest by the coronavirus. Hospitalization rates for beneficiaries eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid — “who often suffer from multiple chronic conditions and have low incomes,” according to the CMS — were nearly five times that of beneficiaries eligible for Medicare alone. Dual beneficiaries were also disproportionately impacted by COVID-19 case counts. Medicare eligibility typically starts at age 65.
All totaled, more than 160,800 Medicare beneficiaries were hospitalized for the illness in the roughly five-month time frame, with 549,414 cases of COVID-19 reported.