Blood Test To Detect Alzheimer's Disease Early

A simple blood test can detect Alzheimer’s disease before symptoms begin to appear! Anyone who has had to go through the journey of getting a diagnosis for a loved one knows that it can take at least a few different medical appointments and tests. When I first read about this blood test, I immediately thought about how much simpler the process would have been for my father and so many others like him. Many people across the country, as my father did, face many obstacles to getting a diagnosis, such as language access and lack of insurance coverage, among many others.

The bipartisan ASAP Act helps break down that barrier, allowing Medicare to cover FDA-approved blood tests that detect Alzheimer’s biomarkers. Currently, Medicare cannot cover any dementia screening test for folks without symptoms. This is something only Congress can fix. The bill does not mandate coverage – it simply clears the roadblock so Medicare can evaluate these tests and make coverage possible.

Thankfully, Congressman Jesus Garcia has cosponsored the bipartisan ASAP Act. He must ask congressional leadership to move this bill ASAP! To learn more about Alzheimer’s disease and how to support to end Alzheimer’s, visit alz.org.