General Discussion

Under Medicare, early annual screening for dementia is legally required.

It doesn't have to be a formal test - ordinarily my doctor makes the assessment based on our conversation during the visit. This year, his nurse (New to his office) used a few questions from the MOCA. Some doctors use the MOCA regularly on their geriatric patients to satisfy the legal requirements.

Medicare sets the standard for geriatric care, so it is completely normal for any patient 65 or older to have taken the treat each year of that is the tool they screen for dementia - and means nothing about his cognitive health.

Not only that, but it is a rudimentary screening test, and only picks up moderately advanced dementia - so it would never be used to measure the rate and progress of his decline.

Now - the fact that he thinks it is a hard test, and that hardly anyone aces it does say something about his cognitive health.