Bipartisan Letter Urges CMS to Allow Access to Alzheimer's Treatments

Strategic Insights -

Congressman Rudy Yakym and seven fellow members of the Indiana Congressional Delegation have sent a letter to the Biden Administration, urging the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to allow access to time-sensitive, FDA-approved Alzheimer's treatments for patients living with the disease. The letter highlights the significant impact of Alzheimer's on Hoosiers, with over 110,000 patients and 216,000 caregivers affected, and estimates a 18% growth in Hoosier patients in the next three years.

Key Takeaways:

  • The letter was signed by eight members of the Indiana House Delegation, including Rep. Rudy Yakym, Jim Baird, Jim Banks, Larry Bucshon, Andre Carson, Erin Houchin, Frank Mrvan, and Greg Pence.
  • The letter emphasizes the need for immediate access to FDA-approved Alzheimer's treatments, citing the estimated 6.7 million patients with Alzheimer's, with over 110,000 Hoosiers affected, expected to grow by 18% in the next three years.
  • The letter highlights the significant burden of Alzheimer's on families, with 216,000 Hoosiers caring for loved ones in 2022, and the devastating impact, including a $345 billion national cost in 2023 and nearly $1 trillion by 2050.
  • The letter requests that CMS reconsider its current policy of requiring Coverage with Evidence Development (CED) for FDA-approved Alzheimer's treatments, which severely limits access, especially for rural and minority populations.
  • The letter points out that the CED requirement has an outsized impact on access to care for patients and their caregivers, particularly in rural and minority communities.
  • The letter emphasizes the need for action to allow patients immediate access to these treatments, which would slow the progression of Alzheimer's, give individuals more time without cognitive impairment, and encourage efforts to find a cure.

Statistics:

  • 6.7 million patients with Alzheimer's in the US
  • 110,000 Hoosiers affected by Alzheimer's
  • 18% growth in Hoosier patients with Alzheimer's in the next three years
  • 216,000 Hoosiers caring for loved ones in 2022
  • $345 billion national cost of Alzheimer's in 2023
  • Nearly $1 trillion national cost of Alzheimer's by 2050
  • 321,000,000 unpaid hours worked by Hoosier caregivers in 2022
  • $5.1 billion in unpaid care costs for Hoosier caregivers in 2022

Sources:

  • Yakym, Rudy, Congressman Yakym Sends Letter to Biden Administration Urging CMS to Allow Access to Alzheimer's Treatments, June 30, 2023, https://yakym.house.gov/posts/congressmen-yakym-sends-letter-to-biden-administration-urging-cms-to-allow-access-to-alzheimers-treatments.