Bipartisan bill to improve early detection of Alzheimer’s advances out of committee
WASHINGTON – Today, the Ways and Means Committee voted unanimously to advance a bipartisan bill to improve early assessment and diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementia. The Concentrating on High Value Alzheimer’s Needs to Get to an End (CHANGE) Act was introduced by Congresswoman Linda T. Sánchez (D-CA), Darin LaHood (R-IL), Doris Matsui (D-CA) and Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) and was included as part of the broader American Medical Innovation and Investment Act.
“After seeing both my parents struggle with Alzheimer’s, I’m encouraged to see this bipartisan legislation move one step closer to becoming law,” said Congresswoman Sánchez. “Countless families nationwide are experiencing the devastating toll of Alzheimer’s disease and other related dementias. This bill would provide them with crucial assistance. As millions more Americans are expected to be diagnosed in the coming decades, we have no time to waste.”
“Alzheimer’s affects millions of Americans each day, and the search for a cure must be relentless. Our bipartisan, bicameral bill that will provide help to patients and clinicians through expanded early detection support and improved data collection,” said Congressman LaHood. “The CHANGE Act will strengthen existing tools within Medicare to help streamline and broaden the ability for earlier diagnosis of dementia. I applaud my Ways and Means colleagues for advancing this bill as we work to find ways to support patients, as well as their families and caregivers.”
“We need a comprehensive approach to tackle the devastating impact of Alzheimer’s and to support the millions of Americans battling against this disease. Early detection and intervention are crucial to improve care and prolong the life of loved ones," said Congresswoman Matsui. “The CHANGE Act provides important tools to deliver early support and high-value care. I applaud my colleagues for advancing this bipartisan effort as we continue taking steps forward to prevent, treat, and put an end to Alzheimer’s.”
“As research continues to yield advancement in the development of more treatment options for patients with Alzheimer’s, we know that early detection, diagnosis and intervention offers the best promise for disease management,” said Congressman Bilirakis. “My family has coped with the devastating impacts of this horrific disease for more than a decade, so I understand the toll it takes on the patient and his or her loved ones as it progresses. We owe it to our fellow Americans to develop a system of care that prioritizes education, screening and assessment so that patients can enjoy the best possible quality of life.”
“There has never been a more important time to pass the CHANGE Act than now. New treatment options are most effective for patients in the early stages of Alzheimer’s. By requiring CMS to develop a uniform and reliable detection tool, and incentivizing healthcare providers to put an emphasis on early detection, the CHANGE Act could open the door for millions of Alzheimer’s patients to access medications that slow the progression of the disease and preserve their quality of life for a longer period of time,” said George Vradenburg, chair and co-founder of UsAgainstAlzheimer’s. "We applaud the Committee for marking up this important item."
Alzheimer’s disease was the seventh-leading cause of death in America last year. It is estimated that Black Americans are twice as likely and Latinos are 1.5 times as likely to develop Alzheimer's.
The CHANGE Act would support, incentivize, and authorize high-value Alzheimer’s patient care, and support caregivers and research initiatives to improve prevention and treatment for the disease. Specifically, it would require physicians to use any of the National Institute on Aging’s cognitive impairment detection tools to help detect, refer and diagnose Alzheimer’s and related dementias in their earliest stages.
The CHANGE Act is cosponsored by Reps. Nanette Diaz Barragán (D-CA), Joyce Beatty (D-OH), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-NY), Raul M. Grijalva (D-AZ), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Grace Napolitano (D-CA), Mark Pocan (D-WI), Mikie Sherrill (D-NJ), Greg Stanton (D-AZ), Dina Titus (D-NV), Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), Juan Vargas (D-CA) and Maxine Waters (D-CA).
Full text of the bill is available here.
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