Under the National Coverage Determination, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) severely restricts access to new disease-modifying treatments for Alzheimer’s disease. This has left many people with Alzheimer’s and their families struggling to afford access to innovations in treatment that could dramatically improve their lives.
It is disappointing that our Senators have not yet spoken out on this issue. We need them to stand up for the people of Ohio who are affected by Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia, and advocate for Medicare coverage.
As our population ages, the number of people living with Alzheimer’s disease is expected to continue to rise. It is estimated that over 220,000 Ohioans are living with Alzheimer’s disease, and this number is projected to increase to nearly 250,000 by 2025.
Alzheimer’s disease is a devastating condition that affects not only those living with the disease but also their families and caregivers. It is a public health crisis that requires urgent attention and action from our elected officials.
Currently, an estimated 70% of costs related to Alzheimer’s are borne by families and patients, while only 16% of lifetime costs are paid by Medicare. The move by CMS to erode support for Alzheimer’s patients, which differs from the treatment of people with cancer, those needing organ transplants, or experiencing vision loss, highlights the stigma and discrimination within the Medicare system.
I urge our Senators to take action on behalf of people with Alzheimer’s disease and their families. We need them to speak out in support of Medicare coverage for new FDA-approved disease-modifying treatments for Alzheimer’s and to work towards reversing the National Coverage Decision that has severely restricted access to these important treatments.
Thus, it is essential that some form of financial assistance, via Medicare payments, or perhaps a tax credit, be provided to those caregivers who have taken on the monumental task of providing home care for family members with dementia. Finding openings in memory care facilities can be a challenge, and, when space is available, the cost can be prohibitive. As a result, many families have no choice but to care for their afflicted loved one at home.
Inaction on these issues is not an option – and we can use platforms such as Brain Awareness Month to encourage our Senators to step up and advocate for the people of Ohio who are living with Alzheimer’s disease. We cannot afford to wait any longer. It is more important than ever that decision-makers hear the voices of people living with Alzheimer’s because they are being dismissed by the current systems in place. It is simply unacceptable that Medicare is failing individuals with Alzheimer’s and their families.
Robert Toia is a retired research biologist, pharmaceutical business analyst, computer systems technical writer, and now full-time loving husband, home caregiver and Alzheimer’s advocate.
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