“The time for waiting is over. We must act ASAP.”
WASHINGTON — Today, Congressman Vern Buchanan, Vice Chairman of the Ways & Means Committee and Chairman of the Health Subcommittee, penned an op-ed in The Hill with Congressman Paul Tonko (D-N.Y.), highlighting the momentum behind their Alzheimer’s Screening and Prevention (ASAP) Act and the bipartisan need for broader access to Alzheimer’s screening tools.
“Broadening access to Alzheimer’s screening tools can help people understand their risk for the disease long before symptoms appear,” wrote Buchanan and Tonko in the op-ed. “This is especially key for patients in rural and underserved communities, where access to specialists and advanced diagnostic facilities can be limited and where a simple blood test could reduce the burden of traveling long distances for care.”
Read the full op-ed HERE or below:
A rare healthcare issue that both parties agree on: A solution to Alzheimer’s that can’t wait
Reps. Vern Buchanan (R-Fla.) and Paul Tonko (D-N.Y.)
As members of Congress on opposite sides of the aisle, we don’t see eye-to-eye on everything. But Alzheimer’s disease doesn’t care about politics. It affects families in every state, congressional district and neighborhood across America. Over 7 million of us currently live with Alzheimer’s — more than 1 million in our two states alone — a number that is expected to nearly double in the decades ahead. Changing the trajectory of Alzheimer’s in America isn’t a luxury — it’s a necessity.
Alzheimer’s can start more than a decade before memory loss and other signs become evident. Early detection is critical to helping patients start Alzheimer’s treatment sooner, when it’s most effective. Sadly, many patients are diagnosed too late for treatment or other health interventions to help.
Thankfully, decades of investment in research and development have led to scientific breakthroughs that are revolutionizing Alzheimer’s care. For too long, diagnosing Alzheimer’s required lengthy referrals and invasive, expensive procedures. Today, simple blood-based biomarker tests can help identify the disease earlier and more conveniently than ever. These developments have the potential to transform patient care, particularly with more treatments now approved.
Yet despite these advances, coverage policies have not kept pace. Medicare can only cover preventive services that Congress has specifically authorized or that are recommended by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. This process can delay coverage for years after screening tests receive FDA clearance.
That’s why we came together to introduce the ASAP Act. Our bipartisan, bicameral legislation authorizes the secretary of Health and Human Services to provide a pathway for Medicare coverage for FDA-approved or cleared blood-based biomarker tests for the early detection of Alzheimer’s and other dementias.
Broadening access to Alzheimer’s screening tools can help people understand their risk for the disease long before symptoms appear. This is especially key for patients in rural and underserved communities, where access to specialists and advanced diagnostic facilities can be limited and where a simple blood test could reduce the burden of traveling long distances for care.
Catching Alzheimer’s early is critical because it is among the most expensive diseases to manage. Late-stage care often requires extensive medical services and long-term support, imposing significant costs to families and taxpayers alike. It can also place an enormous burden on caregivers, who often shoulder years of financial, emotional and logistical responsibilities as a loved one’s condition progresses. Earlier detection can give families more time to plan, pursue treatment and prepare for the challenges ahead.
As our country’s population ages, rates of Alzheimer’s will rise. In fact, the U.S. is on pace to spend more than $1 trillion treating Alzheimer’s and other dementias by 2050. The cost of inaction is exorbitant.
It’s fair to debate whether Medicare should cover new services, but modern blood tests are much softer on taxpayers than a typical PET scan. Yet despite their cost-effectiveness, blood tests can still be financially challenging for the average patient to obtain. By significantly easing out-of-pocket costs, the ASAP Act helps fix this problem.
The legislation reflects principles that both parties can get behind. It encourages prevention, innovation, patient choice and fiscal responsibility — values Republicans have long championed. By increasing access to quality medical care, the ASAP Act advances a more equitable healthcare system where a person’s ability to benefit from the latest innovation isn’t determined by their income status or where they live — a key priority for Democrats.
Ultimately, scientific advancements achieve their full potential only when people can access them. In 1990, Congress voted to ensure Medicare coverage of mammograms, saving the lives of millions of women through early detection and treatment of breast cancer. Today, we have the chance to change Alzheimer’s trajectory and write a new story.
Families deserve access to earlier diagnosis and treatment without being forced to pay out of pocket just to get care. FDA-cleared Alzheimer’s tests are now available; coverage rules need to keep up. Every month we delay costs Americans opportunities to benefit from advances that could make a meaningful difference in their lives.
Two hundred twenty-four of our House colleagues have co-sponsored our bill, a sign of momentum we should not squander. The time for waiting is over. We must act ASAP.
Vern Buchanan serves Florida’s 16th District. He is vice chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, chairman of its Health Subcommittee, and the longest-serving Republican to represent Southwest Florida in the U.S. House of Representatives. Paul Tonko serves New York’s 20th District. He is a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee and serves as ranking member of its Environment Subcommittee.
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