Toomey, Stabenow Seek Input From Patients, Caregivers, Health Care Providers in Fight Against Alzheimer's Disease

U.S. Sens Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) and Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), the chair and ranking member of the Senate Finance Subcommittee on Health Care, are continuing their bipartisan work to improve care for patients with Alzheimer's disease. Following their subcommittee hearing titled "Alzheimer's Awareness: Barriers to Diagnosis, Treatment, and Care Coordination," Toomey and Stabenow are seeking input from providers, researchers, patients, patient advocacy groups, and other stakeholders to inform the development of future legislation. In a joint notice to stakeholders, the two legislators stated: "In 2019, Alzheimer's disease and related memory disorders cost an estimated $290 billion in health care, long-term care, and hospice expenses, two-thirds of which will be borne by Medicare and Medicaid. As the number of Americans living with Alzheimer's disease grows to nearly 14 million by 2050, annual health care expenditures attributable to the disease will balloon to $1.1 trillion."