Media requests should be directed to:

Katy Riddick, Voices of Alzheimer’s Secretariat

Phone: +1 202 223 2027

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

OUR MINDS. OUR LIVES. OUR CHOICES.

Voices of Alzheimer’s Details the History of Medicare’s Discrimination Against People with Alzheimer’s in New Report

Washington, DC, May 18, 2023 - Voices of Alzheimer’s, a new advocacy organization designed to amplify the voices of the Alzheimer’s community and promote policy developments to improve the quality of life, is proud to announce the publication of its position paper, The Historic and Ongoing Discrimination of Medicare Against People Living with Alzheimer's.

This comprehensive report details Medicare’s ongoing prejudice against individuals with Alzheimer’s, including refusing and limiting available care options. Innovations for diagnosing Alzheimer's, such as amyloid PET scans, are not widely covered by Medicare, resulting in patients losing valuable time getting answers and facing uncertainty about their diagnosis. Medicare has also limited the number of people who can access new disease-modifying therapies, except for a small number of people who meet certain requirements. This denies access to the vast majority of people living with Alzheimer's, especially those who are in rural communities as well as racial and ethnic minorities and those with limited resources. This information is based on extensive research and analysis generated by Voices of Alzheimer’s team of experts and supported by the community of individuals living with Alzheimer’s who lead the organization.

“We are incredibly grateful to share the valuable insights of this paper with the greater public and raise awareness about the harmful discrimination that Medicare is subjecting Alzheimer’s patients to undergo,” said Jim Taylor, President and CEO of Voices of Alzheimer’s. “Our team of researchers has dedicated a tremendous amount of time to capturing the myriad of ways that the agency that runs Medicare, CMS, discriminates against people with Alzheimer’s throughout their treatment and care journey. Medicare has failed to support many people’s only options for diagnosis and treatment.”

An estimated 2,000 people to transition from mild to more advanced stages of Alzheimer's every day, adding to the urgency of these issues. This transition leads to devastating symptoms of cognitive decline and makes them ineligible for new treatments according to FDA guidelines.

The Historic and Ongoing Discrimination of Medicare Against People Living with Alzheimer's. Can be downloaded for free on the Voices of Alzheimer’s website. Those interested in learning more about Medicare’s serious limitations for FDA-approved diagnostics and treatments are encouraged to read the report and share it with their community.

Learn more on the Voices of Alzheimer’s website, and on social media through Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok.

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