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State Updates
NJ Alzheimer’s Disease Study Commission – Take Action NOW!
New Jersey must take the lead in developing comprehensive plans for the present and future crisis of Alzheimer's disease. A new report (see Federal Update, below, for report information) released on May 19, by the Alzheimer's Association finds that without the discovery of a new breakthrough treatment, by 2050, 13.5 million Americans will have Alzheimer's disease costing Medicaid $178 billion (in today's dollars). Collectively over the next 40 years, caring for people with Alzheimer's will cost Medicaid over $3.5 trillion. New Jersey policymakers must be a part of the solution and take action now. Your role as an advocate is critical to help urge the policymakers to move this legislation forward.
The NJ Alzheimer’s Disease Study Commission will: provide an overview and framework of the impact of Alzheimer's disease in New Jersey; analyze all areas affected by Alzheimer's issues; identify existing services and service gaps; and propose legislation to help our legislators understand how the state can provide enhanced service to Alzheimer’s disease individuals and their families.
Please contact your legislator and ask him/her to add their support to this bill. Click here to find your legislator and take action! Inform public officials that Alzheimer’s disease affects loved ones, friends and neighbors. It places an enormous burden on family caregivers who must endure prolonged physical, emotional, and financial stress. Urge them to review this bill and commit to supporting this legislation. The bill numbers for this legislation are: (S125/A322).
Federal Updates
Changing the Trajectory of Alzheimer's Disease: New Public Policy Research from the Alzheimer’s Association
A new Alzheimer’s Association study shows that new therapies for Alzheimer’s disease could save billions for American families and the economy. The new study, “Changing the Trajectory of Alzheimer’s Disease: A National Imperative,” adds projected financial implications to the significant human need arguments for the federal government to address the Alzheimer’s crisis.
The study shows that disease-modifying treatments (in addition to improving lives) could dramatically slow the rapidly increasing cost of Alzheimer’s disease to Medicare, Medicaid, and other payers. These future cost savings make an even stronger argument for policymakers to invest in more research now.
If current trends continue, Alzheimer’s disease will cost the United States $20 trillion over the next 40 years. It will cost $172 billion to care for people with Alzheimer’s in 2010 alone—and that number may increase to $1.08 trillion in 2050.
To read the full report, go to www.alz.org/Trajectory.
Support the National Alzheimer's Project Act (NAPA)
By 2050 nearly 16 million Americans will have Alzheimer’s, yet there is no national plan to deal with this looming crisis. The National Alzheimer’s Project Act (NAPA) would establish an inter-agency advisory council to address the government’s efforts on Alzheimer research, care, institutional services, and home- and community-based programs.
Find out if your member of Congress is a co-sponsor of NAPA. If not, ask your member of Congress to act now and support NAPA (S. 3036 / H.R. 4689).
For more information on public policy and advocacy, please visit our Web site, www.alz.org/nj. Thank you for visiting our blog; we welcome your comments here.
