“…In [ 12 ] we evaluated age-specific as well as age-adjusted incidence rates of circulatory diseases such as acute coronary heart disease (that includes myocardial infarction and angina pectoris), stroke, and heart failure, in the US elderly population using the NLTCS-M data. In [ 11 ] similar analyses were performed for other diseases that represent major groups of chronic conditions in the elderly including cancer (breast, prostate, lung, and colon cancers and melanoma), neurodegenerative disorders (Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease), diabetes, and asthma. These population-based estimates provide valuable information for analyzing the national health trends and forecasting future Medicare expenditures related to these diseases.…”