SouthernWorldwide.com – Alzheimer’s disease is a devastating illness that affects millions of Americans, and former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich argues that Congress has the power to significantly improve the fight against it.
Currently, approximately one in nine Americans aged 65 and older suffer from dementia caused by Alzheimer’s, totaling about 7.2 million individuals according to the National Institutes of Health. It’s highly probable that you know someone affected by this disease.
Alzheimer’s is a profound thief, stealing memories, identities, and independence, ultimately leading to loss of life. It ranks as the sixth leading cause of death in America. However, the impact extends far beyond the diagnosed individual.
Spouses often become full-time caregivers, and adult children find their lives and careers significantly altered. Friends grieve for a person who is physically present but no longer themselves. When considering all those impacted—partners, children, siblings, and close friends—the 7.2 million people living with Alzheimer’s represent a much larger group of 25 to 50 million Americans whose lives are profoundly shaped by this condition.
This is where current challenges become apparent. While significant progress has been made in understanding and addressing Alzheimer’s in the early 2000s and 2010s, further advancements are being hampered by a flawed and misguided approach to healthcare policy.
In 2007, Gingrich co-chaired the Alzheimer’s Study Group, a bipartisan task force dedicated to investigating and finding solutions for Alzheimer’s disease and other cognitive illnesses.
As part of their work, the group proposed an Alzheimer’s Solutions Project. This project aimed to identify the root causes of Alzheimer’s and support the development of a cure.
In their final report, they advocated for a strategic plan to fully fund the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and other programs involved in combating the disease. Many of these recommendations were unanimously adopted by Congress through the National Alzheimer’s Project Act of 2011.
The legislation’s stated objective was to find a cure by 2025. While this goal was not met, the research it spurred led to significant breakthroughs. We now understand that Alzheimer’s is linked to the buildup of amyloid proteins in the brain. Furthermore, related tau proteins in the blood can serve as early warning signs, detectable even before symptoms manifest.
Diagnostic companies have developed blood tests capable of identifying these markers. Additionally, infusion treatments are available to reduce amyloid buildup. While these are not direct cures, as with many diseases, early detection allows individuals to make crucial lifestyle changes and begin therapies that can slow the progression from mild memory and thinking issues to debilitating dementia.
This early intervention could potentially delay the need for institutional care for many years. Beyond enabling people to live longer, happier, and more independent lives—which is the most critical outcome—delaying symptoms can also save families substantial amounts of money, ranging from tens of thousands to even hundreds of thousands of dollars, that would otherwise be spent on in-home care or assisted living.
So, why are so many families not benefiting from these advancements? The blood tests, which are crucial for early Alzheimer’s detection, are only covered by Medicare if they are used to confirm a diagnosis after a patient has already reported symptoms.
They are not covered by Medicare for the purpose of detecting symptoms before they become severe enough for a person to complain. This often results in individuals being diagnosed too late to be eligible for available therapies.
The infusion treatments are not covered unless a patient’s doctor is part of a Medicare-approved registry. Many healthcare providers, particularly in rural areas, lack the resources or capacity to take on this additional administrative burden.
These obstacles to treating and potentially curing Alzheimer’s disease are, unfortunately, symptomatic of larger issues within our healthcare system. We tend to address diseases only after individuals have become ill, often to a significant degree.
A new, nationwide initiative is needed to find cures for Alzheimer’s and other degenerative diseases. If we persist with our current, ineffective approach, these problems are projected to worsen considerably.
The Alzheimer’s Association estimates that without substantial treatment advancements, the number of Americans with Alzheimer’s could nearly double to 13.8 million by the year 2060.
The path forward requires immediate and concrete action on Alzheimer’s. Congress should enact the Alzheimer’s Screening and Prevention Act of 2025 (the ASAP Act). This legislation would mandate Medicare coverage for tau protein blood tests, enabling millions of Americans to detect the disease before they notice any symptoms.
Additionally, Medicare should reconsider its 2022 national coverage determination and establish a clear pathway for Medicare coverage of FDA-approved Alzheimer’s therapies. This coverage should be consistent with how all other approved drug classes are treated.
These two steps alone have the potential to enhance the quality of life for individuals, postpone the need for institutional care, and alleviate significant financial burdens for families.
Increasing access to these treatments could profoundly improve people’s lives, and such efforts are met with widespread public approval. A recent poll released on May 19th indicates strong support for the ASAP Act and initiatives aimed at expanding access to new Alzheimer’s treatments.
As Benjamin Franklin wisely stated, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” Addressing Alzheimer’s with the urgency it demands will not only confront a looming public health crisis but also initiate a broader reform of our entire healthcare approach, shifting the focus towards prevention.
If we can muster the political will to tackle this disease effectively, imagine the possibilities for conquering many others.
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Disclaimer: Gingrich 360 collaborates with various entities in the healthcare industry, which may be impacted by reforms in healthcare policy.
