Washington, D.C. – The House Ways and Means Committee voted unanimously to advance the Concentrating on High Value Alzheimer’s Needs to Get to an End (CHANGE) Act, which was included as a provision in the Alzheimer's Screening and Prevention (ASAP) Act. This bipartisan legislation was led by Congressman Darin LaHood (IL-16), Congresswoman Linda Sánchez (CA-38), Congressman Gus Bilirakis (FL-12), and Congresswoman Doris Matsui (CA-07). The CHANGE Act coupled with ASAP Act works to remove roadblocks to care, support early detection efforts for Alzheimer's, and improve early assessment and diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementia.
“Alzheimer’s impacts millions of Americans, and we must do everything we can to support the search for a cure. This bipartisan bill provides help to patients and clinicians through expanded early detection support and improved data collection,” said Congressman LaHood. “The CHANGE Act, coupled with the ASAP Act, will strengthen existing tools to help streamline and broaden the ability for earlier diagnosis of Alzheimer's and other forms dementia. I thank Representatives Sánchez, Bilirakis, and Matsui for their collaboration on this critical legislation, and my Ways and Means colleagues for advancing this bill as we work to find ways to support patients, their families, and caregivers.”
“This is deeply personal for me. I lost both of my parents to Alzheimer’s, and I know firsthand how much earlier detection could have meant for our family,” said Congresswoman Sánchez. “Advancing this bill out of committee brings us one step closer to giving other families that chance. I’m grateful to my Ways and Means colleagues for passing our bipartisan bill and will keep fighting to get it signed into law.”
“Alzheimer’s touches millions of families, and identifying the disease early can make a meaningful difference for patients and their loved ones,” said Congresswoman Matsui. “The CHANGE Act brings us closer to giving healthcare providers the tools to recognize the warning signs sooner and connect families with the care and support they need. I’m proud this bipartisan legislation is moving forward so more families can have more time, better care, and greater hope.”
“Alzheimer’s is a devastating disease that has touched my family personally, so I understand the tremendous toll it takes not only on patients, but also on the loved ones who care for them,” said Congressman Gus Bilirakis. “As promising new treatments continue to emerge, early detection and diagnosis are more important than ever. The bipartisan CHANGE Act will help ensure patients and their doctors have better tools to identify cognitive decline earlier, when interventions may have the greatest impact. I am pleased to see this important legislation advance out of Committee as part of a broader package, bringing us another step closer to improving care, preserving quality of life, and ultimately finding a cure for this terrible disease.”
“Annual cognitive screening is critical to ensuring early diagnosis of dementia. The CHANGE Act will ensure primary care providers use validated tools to catch cognitive impairment early, when patients and families can act on it. Early diagnosis means more time for families and patients to plan, and the opportunity to consider treatments options or enrolling in a clinical trial. We thank Reps. LaHood, Sanchez, and Buchanan for their leadership and urge Congress to move forward with ensuring CHANGE and ASAP become law together,” said Catherine Patterson, Acting COO, UsAgainstAlzheimer’s.
"Rep. LaHood has been a persistent voice for early Alzheimer's detection, and his leadership on the ASAP Act is helping clear the path for Medicare to cover the blood-based screening tests families need," said Robert Egge, Alzheimer's Association chief public policy officer and executive director, AIM. "We also appreciate his work on the CHANGE Act, further demonstrating his commitment to the Alzheimer's community."
Background:
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.
Specifically, it would require physicians to conduct cognitive screenings at a patient's annual Medicare wellness visit by using any of the National Institute on Aging’s cognitive impairment detection tools. With these annual screenings, physicians can track patients' cognitive abilities overtime to help detect and diagnose Alzheimer’s and related dementias in their earliest stages.
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