FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
19 March 2024
Contact: Kevin G. McGuire | 202-538-2386
WASHINGTON, DC – Yesterday,Reps. Nanette Barragán (D-CA), Earl L. “Buddy” Carter (R-GA), Paul Tonko (D-NY), and Darin LaHood (R-IL) introduced the Accelerating Access to Dementia and Alzheimer’s Provider Training (AADAPT) Act, a bill that would provide Alzheimer’s and dementia education and training to more primary care providers, to improve detection, diagnosis, and treatment of Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia.
Half of primary care physicians recently reported that they do not feel adequately prepared to care for individuals living with Alzheimer’s and other dementia. The AADAPT Act will help address this knowledge gap, ensuring primary care providers treating patients concerned with their cognitive abilities have the proper resources and training to provide high-quality care.
“The earlier Alzheimer’s disease is detected, the more time patients and families have to assess treatment and spend time with their loved ones,” said Rep. Barragán. “As someone whose mother has Alzheimer’s, I know the impact of this disease from personal experience, and the benefits of early diagnosis. Often, primary care physicians make the initial diagnoses for Alzheimer’s patients, and ensuring they have the tools necessary to do so is critical for timely diagnoses. That is why I am proud to co-lead this bipartisan legislation to provide Alzheimer’s and dementia education and training to more primary care physicians.”
“During my decades in pharmacy, I saw the devastating toll that Alzheimer’s and dementia take on both patients and families. This is a difficult disease that steals a patient’s health and memory, and it is critical that all patients have expert care available to them. Primary care physicians, who are often on the front lines of treating dementia, are asking for more resources and education to provide better care for their patients. Congress is listening, and I’m proud to lead the AADAPT Act alongside Reps. Barragán, LaHood, and Tonko to help bridge the divide,” said Rep. Carter.
“Millions across the nation are currently suffering from the disease of Alzheimer’s. These individuals and their families carry a heavy burden, but having the expertise of a primary care physician can alleviate some of that burden and drastically improve quality of care. I’m proud to join my colleagues to introduce this legislation to provide education and training to health care providers and ensure they are equipped with the resources needed to deliver the expert care their patients deserve,” Rep. Tonko said.
“Alzheimer’s impacts millions of families throughout America and in Illinois, and it is important that we give those impacted by the disease access to high quality care. This bipartisan bill will increase education and training for primary care providers on Alzheimer’s, which will help improve detection and treatment for all forms of dementia, and support caregivers. I am proud to join this bipartisan group on the AADAPT Act and continue our advocacy for high quality Alzheimer’s and dementia care and treatments in Congress,” said Rep. LaHood.
“We are grateful to Reps. Carter, Barragán, LaHood and Tonko for their bipartisan leadership to address challenges facing people living with dementia and their caregivers. The bipartisan AADAPT Act will empower primary care providers to better diagnose Alzheimer’s and other dementia and deliver high-quality, person-centered care in community-based settings,” said Robert Egge, AIM President and Alzheimer’s Association Chief Public Policy Officer.
Read the full bill text here.
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Congressmember Nanette Barragán represents California’s 44th District. She sits on the House Energy and Commerce Committee and works on environmental justice and healthcare issues. She is also Chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC).