Alzheimer’s Screening and Prevention (ASAP) Act Would Advance Early Detection and Streamline Access to Alzheimer's Care

The Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease (PFCD) issued the following statement in response to the introduction of the Alzheimer’s Screening and Prevention (ASAP) Act, legislation co-sponsored by Senators Susan Collins (R-ME), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Shelly Moore Capito (R-WV), Mark Warner (D-VA), and Representatives Vern Buchanan (R-FL) and Paul Tonko (D-NY) to empower Medicare to cover FDA-approved blood-based biomarker tests for the early detection of Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias.

"We applaud Sens. Collins, Cortez Masto, Capito, and Warner and Reps. Buchanan and Tonko for their leadership in advancing this bipartisan, bicameral bill to help make the latest Alzheimer’s early detection tools more widely accessible to patients. The societal burden of this disease is staggering; more than 7 million Americans are currently living with Alzheimer’s and  in 2025 alone, the total cost of dementia in the U.S. will hit $781 billion. Dementia requires direct medical and long-term care costs for families, as well as approximately 6.8 billion hours of unpaid caregiving by family members and friends to people living with these diseases.

This bill represents a crucial step toward ensuring these tools reach the patients who need them most. Detecting Alzheimer’s disease at earlier, more treatable stages gives patients and families critical hope. The urgency cannot be overstated. Each day, an estimated 3,000 people with Alzheimer's progress beyond the reach of early-stage treatment. 

“Recent medical advances have shown remarkable promise in detecting signs of Alzheimer’s even before symptoms appear. The FDA's approval of breakthrough blood-based biomarker testing earlier this year provides healthcare professionals with a less invasive and more accessible tool to detect Alzheimer's at early stages.

“However, these diagnostic innovations mean nothing if patients cannot also access the latest treatments for Alzheimer’s disease. Medicare's current approach of restricting access to FDA-approved Alzheimer's therapies through cumbersome coverage with evidence development (CED) registries creates dangerous delays. Such measures that condition coverage on research participation create administrative quagmires that prevent timely treatment, a dangerous precedent for patient access across chronic diseases.

“PFCD urges Congress to swiftly advance the ASAP Act and calls on policymakers to continue working to streamline access to treatments already deemed safe and effective.”