Federal Update
The Alzheimer’s Association Advocacy and Public Policy
Division in Washington, D.C. continued its intense efforts
throughout the summer and into the fall to secure increased
funding for Alzheimer’s research prior to the finalizing of the
2008 federal budget. Under the President’s 2008 proposed
budget, Alzheimer’s research was funded at $642 million,
basically flat for the fourth year. The Alzheimer’s Association
goal was to increase that amount by $125 million.
In July, Congress did take positive steps toward restoring
funding for Alzheimer’s care programs. Recommendations
from Congress increased federal funding for Alzheimer’s
research by 2% ($16 million) over the President’s proposal
for the 2008 budget. It was in this climate that nationwide
advocacy efforts were undertaken during the Congressional
August recess and on Congress’s return toWashington at the
beginning of September.
The major points regarding the need for the $125 million
research funding increase included the following.
- The number of people with Alzheimer’s will increase
from more than 5 million today to as many as 16 million
by mid-century.
- Medicare spending on individuals with Alzheimer’s will
double—from $91 billion today to $189 billion by 2015.
By 2025, Alzheimer’s alone will consume the entire cost
of today’s Medicare program.
- Nearly 10 million caregivers are providing $83 billion
worth of care.
- Finding ways to delay the onset of Alzheimer’s and slow
its progression will save $61 billion in Medicare and
Medicaid costs and dramatically reduce the number of
persons with Alzheimer’s.
The intense Congressional action related to the passage of
the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP),
however, resulted in the failure by Congress to finish its
fiscal 2008 federal budget appropriations bills by October
1st, the first day of the next fiscal year. Congress passed a
Continuing Resolution to keep the Government funded
and additional Continuing Resolutions are expected
through January or February. Intense Alzheimer’s advocacy
will continue to take place to protect the $16 million
Congressional increase for research until the fiscal 2008
budget is completed.
State Update
The passage of the Coordinating Council for Alzheimer’s
bill reported in the Summer 2007 Newsletter calls for the
establishment of a Coordinating Council in the
Department of Health charged with facilitating interagency
planning and policy; reviewing specific agency initiatives
for their impact on services related to the care of
persons with dementia and their families; and providing a
continuing forum for concerns and discussion related to
the formulation of a comprehensive state policy relating to
Alzheimer’s disease and services.
At the end of the 2007 legislative session in late June, a
bill was passed and signed by the governor amending the
Coordinating Council bill to include a role for the
Council in reviewing and reporting upon the use of clinically
recognized, scientifically based, cognitive impairment
screening tools used to identify signs of and individuals at
risk for cognitive impairment, including Alzheimer’s disease
or other dementias in all settings of the health continuum.
Among its responsibilities the Council is to review
and report findings concerning potential gaps of identification
and intervention for the cognitively impaired, as
well as to review and report on best practices of providers
concerning early identification of at-risk individuals and
referral practices.
Our Coalition of New York State Alzheimer’s
Association Chapters looks forward to additional legislative
actions building on the passage of the legislative initiatives
establishing the Coordinating Council and securing the
cognitive assessment amendment. As the Coalition’s 2008
Legislative Agenda is developed, major issues included in
the Coalition’s 2007 Legislative Agenda remain of continuing
concern.
These important issues include: protecting the Medicaid
safety net, supporting passage of initiatives to assure safe
staffing in residential facilities to meet the needs of the
expanding dementia population, and initiatives to assure
that health professionals and direct care workers are properly
trained to address the needs of persons with
Alzheimer’s disease. Also, the Coalition will seek funding
in the state budget for the Alzheimer’s Community
Services Program (CSP), the Alzheimer’s Community
Assistance Program (AlzCap), and the Alzheimer’s Disease
Assistance Centers (ADACs) to provide caregiver support
services.
— Ann Berson, M.U.P.
Vice President, Director of Public Policy
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