The vast majority of Americans know someone battling Alzheimer’s disease – either as a patient, family member or as a caregiver. Early diagnosis and access to innovative treatments are critical to lowering the toll of Alzheimer’s disease and we’ve reached a defining moment.
 
For the first time ever, we have FDA-approved treatments that delay the progression of Alzheimer’s for people in the early stages of illness.
 
However, Medicare continues to refuse to cover these treatments for the majority of eligible beneficiaries by requiring clinical study participation. The registration and clinical study process delay access for everyone while blocking access altogether for many.
 
Medicare has traditionally covered medicines once they receive FDA approval. Now, it is singling out Alzheimer's, and establishing a harmful precedent that is hindering access to an entire class of therapies. If Medicare is allowed to limit coverage for people with Alzheimer’s disease, what other diseases and patients will be targeted next?
 
While Medicare stands in the way of access, each day approximately 2,000 older Americans progress from mild to moderate Alzheimer’s disease and lose the opportunity to see if one of these treatments could work for them.
 
We believe Medicare should give people with Alzheimer’s disease the same access to care as people with other illnesses.  We ask our representatives in Congress to require Medicare to reconsider its unprecedented, unfair decision to restrict Medicare coverage and patient access to FDA-approved Alzheimer’s medications.
 
Click here to join us in calling for Congressional action urging CMS reconsideration of this coverage policy to help millions of Alzheimer’s patients, families and caregivers now.