National Alzheimer's Project Act

Floor Speech

Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, Alzheimer's is a devastating disease that takes a tremendous personal and economic toll on both the individual and the family. Today, an estimated 5.3 million Americans--including more than 25,000 Mainers--are living with Alzheimer's disease, more than double the number in 1980. If nothing is done to change the current trajectory, 13.5 million Americans over the age of 65 will have Alzheimer's disease by 2050.

In addition to the suffering it causes, Alzheimer's costs the United States $172 billion a year, primarily in nursing home and other long-term care costs. This figure will only increase exponentially as the baby boom generation ages. If nothing is done to slow or stop the disease, Alzheimer's will cost the United States $20 trillion over the next 40 years.

At a time of mounting deficits, the increasing number of Alzheimer's cases has dire implications for our Federal budget as well. The average annual Medicare payment for an individual with Alzheimer's is three times higher than for those without the condition. For Medicaid, average payments are nine times higher. Failure to achieve progress in the fight against the disease will result in Alzheimer's costs to Medicare skyrocketing more than 600 percent and costs to Medicaid growing more than 400 percent by 2050.

Despite these alarming projections, to date there is no national strategy to defeat Alzheimer's, and our efforts to combat the disease have lacked coordination and focus. That is why I am so pleased that the Senate last night passed the National Alzheimer's Project Act, which I introduced with Senator Bayh, to create a coordinated strategic national plan for combating Alzheimer's disease.

The National Alzheimer's Project Act, which is based on a key recommendation of the nonpartisan Alzheimer's Study Group led by former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and former Senator Bob Kerrey of Nebraska, will launch a campaign within the Federal Government to overcome Alzheimer's disease. First, it directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to create a coordinated National Alzheimer's Disease Plan to combat Alzheimer's disease. This plan will be updated annually and a report will be submitted to Congress assessing the Nation's progress in preparing for the growing burden of Alzheimer's disease.

The legislation also establishes an Interagency Advisory Council to advise the Secretary of Health and Human Services on the plan, which is also to include implementation steps and recommendations for priority actions. The advisory council is also charged with coordinating all Federal efforts on Alzheimer's research, care, institutional services, and home and community-based programs.

Funding for these activities will come from existing funding appropriated for the Department of Health and Human Services. No new funding is authorized. The coordinated effort called for in the legislation will simply ensure that our existing resources are maximized and leveraged to combat Alzheimer's disease.

Our legislation has broad, bipartisan support. It was passed out of the Senate HELP Committee unanimously, and it has now been approved unanimously by the full Senate, clearing it for action by the House of Representatives.

Source