S. 880: Improving HOPE for Alzheimer’s

This position statement was submitted by Alzheimer's Impact Movement on Mar 18, 2020.

On behalf of the Alzheimer’s Association and the Alzheimer’s Impact Movement (AIM), including our nationwide network of advocates, thank you for your continued leadership on issues and legislation important to Americans living with Alzheimer’s and other dementias, and to their caregivers. The Alzheimer’s Association and AIM strongly supports the Improving HOPE for Alzheimer’s Act (S.880/H.R. 1873). More than 5 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s and, without significant action, nearly 14 million Americans will have Alzheimer’s by 2050. Today, another person develops the disease every 65 seconds; by 2050, someone in the United States will develop the disease every 33 seconds. This explosive growth will cause Alzheimer’s costs to increase from an estimated $290 billion in 2019 to more than $1.1 trillion in 2050 (in 2019 dollars). These mounting costs threaten to bankrupt families, businesses and our health care system. Unfortunately, our work is only growing more urgent. For individuals living with Alzheimer’s and their caregivers, care planning is essential to learning about medical and non-medical treatments, clinical trials, and support services available in their communities. Access to these services results in a higher quality of life. Thankfully, Medicare covers care planning for individuals with cognitive impairment. However, patients and medical providers are often not aware of this resource. . In the first year the care planning reimbursement was available (2017), fewer than 1% of seniors living with Alzheimer’s received the care planning benefit. The Improving HOPE for Alzheimer’s Act would help educate clinicians on Alzheimer’s and dementia care planning services available through Medicare. This will give clinicians the knowledge and tools to better help their patients and families living with dementia.