Alzheimer’s disease is a growing crisis for our families and the economy. The federal government must address the challenges the disease poses and take bold action to confront this epidemic now.

1. Increase the commitment to Alzheimer’s research

Alzheimer’s is the most expensive disease in America. Over the next 40 years, caring for people with Alzheimer’s will cost our country $20 trillion, with nearly 60 percent of that borne by Medicare. If we had a treatment that delayed onset of Alzheimer’s by just five years, Medicare spending would be reduced on those with the disease by 45 percent in 2050. While Congress provided an additional $100 million for Alzheimer’s research in fiscal year 2014, the chronic underinvestment in Alzheimer’s research persists. For every $100 that the National Institutes of Health (NIH) spends on Alzheimer’s research, Medicare and Medicaid spend $26,500 caring for those with the disease. Congress must continue its commitment to the fight against Alzheimer’s by increasing funding for Alzheimer’s research.

2. Improve access to diagnosis and care planning

To ensure high quality medical care and better outcomes for individuals with Alzheimer’s, the disease must be diagnosed, care must be planned, and the diagnosis must be noted in the individual’s medical record. Studies also suggest that an early diagnosis and care planning improve a caregiver’s long-term health. Yet, about half of those with Alzheimer’s and other dementias have not been diagnosed. Consistent with the National Alzheimer’s Plan’s call for timely diagnosis and education for newly-diagnosed individuals, the Health Outcomes, Planning, and Education (HOPE) for Alzheimer’s Act would increase diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease, provide information on medical and non-medical services for newly-diagnosed patients and their families, and document the diagnosis in the patient’s medical record. This legislation was introduced in a prior session of Congress but has not yet been reintroduced in the 114th Session of Congress

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Other Legislation We Support:

• S. 192, the Older Americans Act Reauthorization Act of 2015. 
• Res. 74, a resolution declaring that achieving the primary goal of the National Plan to Address Alzheimer's Disease of the Department of Health and Human Services to prevent and effectively treat Alzheimer's disease by 2025 is an urgent national priority (Collins and Klobuchar Resolution)