Editor,
The Alzheimer’s Association is celebrating! Last month, the Senate Appropriations Committee included the Health Outcomes, Planning, and Education (HOPE) for Alzheimer’s Act in the proposed annual federal spending bill. On July 12, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services proposed this as a new service beginning July 1, 2017.
This new service means that those with Alzheimer’s disease will have access to a cognitive and functional assessment, followed by care planning with their medical professional. It would also ensure that the dementia diagnosis and subsequent care planning be documented in the medical record.
The Indiana Congressional delegation was a champion for this bill. Senator Donnelly and Representatives Visclosky, Walorski, Brooks, Messer, Carson, Bucshon and Young all co-sponsored the bill and pressed for its passage. We wish to thank our Indiana delegation for their widespread and bi-partisan support!
Debbie Hoover, Anita Gaillard, Michael Sullivan
Carmel