Celebrating and enthusiastic supporters holding #ENDALZ signs in front of a government buildingThe Alzheimer's Association is the leading voice for Alzheimer's and dementia advocacy, fighting for Alzheimer's research, prevention and care initiatives and successfully bringing people together to tackle the challenge of Alzheimer's disease.

The Alzheimer’s Association, the Alzheimer’s Impact Movement (AIM) and our passionate advocates are responsible for the following public policy victories.

Victory Timeline

2023

Medicare Announces Test Model to Improve Dementia Care for Individuals Living With Alzheimer’s Disease, Caregivers

In July, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced a new initiative to improve the way dementia care is delivered. This test initiative, the Guiding an Improved Dementia Experience (GUIDE) Model, will be run through the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Innovation (CMMI). The CMS decision came following the rapidly growing support our advocates generated for the Comprehensive Care for Alzheimer's Act.

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2022

Advanced Increased Investment in Federal Research and Alzheimer’s Public Health Infrastructure

Secured $289 million increase in federal research funding and $25 million to implement the BOLD Infrastructure for Alzheimer's Act (P.L. 115-406).

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2020

Built Bipartisan Support for the Younger-Onset Alzheimer's Disease Act

Ensured Americans living with dementia under the age of 60 can now utilize nutritional services, supportive services, and respite care through the National Family Caregiver Support program.

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2020

Protecting Our Nation’s Most Vulnerable

Together with our advocates, we advanced the Promoting Alzheimer’s Awareness to Prevent Elder Abuse Act to protect people with dementia from elder abuse.

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2020

Educating Providers About Care Planning Available Through Medicare

The Association and AIM championed the Improving HOPE for Alzheimer’s Act to educate providers and increase utilization of critical care planning services available through Medicare.

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2020

Advocated for Federal Alzheimer’s and Dementia Research Funding Increases

Grew support for a $300 million Alzheimer’s and dementia research funding increase at the NIH. Today, federal funding is $3.2 billion annually, representing a more than seven-fold increase in research funding since NAPA passed.

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2019

Federal Alzheimer's and Dementia Research Funding Increase

Worked with bipartisan Congressional champions to secure an additional $350 million in federal research funding. Today funding for Alzheimer's and dementia research at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) is $2.8 billion annually, and representing a more than six-fold increase in research funding since the passage of the National Alzheimer's Project Act.

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2018

BOLD Infrastructure for Alzheimer’s Act Becomes Law

In December, Congress passed and the president signed into law the BOLD Infrastructure for Alzheimer's Act, legislation developed in close partnership between the Alzheimer's Association, AIM and congressional champions.

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2018

Unprecedented Federal Research Funding Received

In September, Congress passed and the President signed into law a $425 million increase for Alzheimer’s research funding at the NIH in the FY2019 budget, bringing total annual funding to $2.3 billion.

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2018

RAISE Family Caregivers Act Becomes Law

The president signed the RAISE Family Caregivers Act to address the needs of our nation's family caregivers through the development and implementation of a coordinated national strategy.

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2018

Historic Federal Research Funding Increase

In March, Congress passed and the president signed a $414 million increase for Alzheimer’s research funding at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) for FY2018. This marked the third consecutive year of triple digit funding increases. In May, Congress passed and the President signed a historic $400 million increase for Alzheimer’s research funding at the NIH in the FY2017 budget.

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2017

Federal Research Funding Increase

In May, Congress passed and the President signed a historic $400 million increase for Alzheimer’s research funding at the NIH in the FY2017 budget.

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2016

21st Century Cures Act Signed into Law

In December, Congress passed and the president signed into law the 21st Century Cures Act, legislation with a goal of accelerating the discovery, development and delivery of new cures for all diseases including Alzheimer’s and other dementia. The legislation included $1.6 billion for BRAIN Initiative and an additional $1.5 billion for the Precision Medicine Initiative. The legislation also includes the EUREKA Act which will help to advance research breakthroughs for Alzheimer’s disease, and encourage public-private partnerships.

2016

Medicare Announces it will cover Care Planning for Cognitive Impairment

In November, The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) finalized its decision to pay for cognitive and functional assessment and for care planning services with a professional for those with Alzheimer’s, other dementia and cognitive impairment. The decision by CMS came following the rapidly growing support our advocates and staff have generated for the Health Outcomes, Planning and Education (HOPE) for Alzheimer's Act in Congress.

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2015

FY2016 Omnibus Bill Passed and Signed Into Law

In December, Congress passed and the president signed into law the FY2016 Omnibus Appropriations Bill, which included a $350 million increase for Alzheimer’s disease research at the NIH. This is the largest annual increase ever in federal Alzheimer’s research funding — a nearly 60 percent increase.

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2015

Montana Publishes State Alzheimer's Plan

In December, Montana became the forty-sixth state plus the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico to publish a state Alzheimer’s plans to address and prepare for the Alzheimer’s crisis.

2015

First Professional Judgement Budget Released

In July, the first Professional Judgment Budget for Alzheimer's research was released by the NIH, proposing to the U.S. Congress the continuation of a rapid ramp-up in Alzheimer's research funding. This budget is a direct result of the Alzheimer's Accountability Act, an Alzheimer's Association priority.

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2014

FY2015 Omnibus Appropriations Bill Signed

In December, Congress passed and the president signed into law the FY2015 Omnibus Appropriations Bill, incorporating the entirety of the Alzheimer's Accountability Act into the legislation. This legislation calls for the NIH to submit a Professional Judgment Budget for Alzheimer's disease research each year until 2025 to achieve annual research milestones established under the National Alzheimer's Plan.

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2014

$122 Million Funding Increase

Legislation is passed and signed which provided an additional $122 million in the FY14 budget for Alzheimer's research, education, outreach and caregiver support. This included $100 million for research, $20 million more than was in the president's FY14 budget request.

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2014

40th State Enacts UAGPPJA

The 40th state enacted the Uniform Adult Guardianship and Protective Proceedings Jurisdiction Act (UAGPPJA) which establishes a framework for courts in different states to communicate about adult guardianship cases.

2013

NIH Director Provides $40 Million for Research

The Director of the NIH, Dr. Francis Collins provided $40 million from the Director's budget for additional Alzheimer's research, which he announced at the annual Advocacy Forum.

2013

Settlement for Jimmo v. Sebelius Approved

The Federal District Court of Vermont approved the proposed settlement agreement in the Jimmo v. Sebelius class action lawsuit which sought to end the application of the “improvement standard” as the basis for Medicare coverage decisions for skilled therapies. The Alzheimer's Association was a plaintiff in the class action lawsuit and supported the settlement agreement.

2012

First National Alzheimer's Plan Released

The first-ever National Alzheimer's Plan was released by the administration in May 2012. In connection with the plan's release, Alzheimer's received an additional $50 million in federal research funding during the fiscal year.

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2011

National Alzheimer's Project Act Signed Into Law

One of the Association's top legislative priorities, the National Alzheimer's Project Act (S.3036), was signed into law.

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2010

SSDI Waiting Period Eliminated

The two-year waiting period for Social Security Disability (SSDI) for those diagnosed with younger or early onset Alzheimer's disease is eliminated. This change provides expedited access to SSDI and Supplemental Security Income (SSI).

2010

Healthy People Report

For the first time, the decennial Healthy People Report included objectives for Alzheimer's and other dementias underscoring the growing public health threat they pose to the nation.

2010

New Medicare Benefit

The Alzheimer's Association helps advance a new Medicare benefit that includes the detection of cognitive impairment as part of the annual wellness visit beginning January 2011.

2010

Provisions in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act

The Alzheimer's Association ensured that the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act contained provisions to help people with Alzheimer's disease, their families and their caregivers, such as a federal long-term care insurance program.

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2009

$10 Billion Secured for the NIH

Secured an additional $10 billion for the NIH in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act ("stimulus bill"). Of the $5 billion awarded so far, the NIH has invested $77 million in Alzheimer's grants. The Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative was among the studies to receive funding.

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2005

Quality Care Campaign

Established the leading standard of quality for nursing homes and assisted living by offering practice recommendations and training for professional providers, as part of our Quality Care Campaign.

2004

Alzheimer's Medicine

Gained inclusion of Alzheimer's medicines in Medicare's Drug Formulary (covered drugs).

2003

Medicare Part D Drug Benefit

Won passage of Medicare's Part D Drug Benefit, which went into effect in 2006.

2001

Rehabilitation Benefits

Secured rehabilitation benefits for Medicare beneficiaries with Alzheimer's disease so individuals were no longer denied this coverage.

2000

Family Caregiver Support Program Passed

Won passage of the Family Caregiver Support Program, included within the Older Americans Act. The program supports a number of community-based programs, including respite care, adult day care, counseling services and caregiver training.

 


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