Increasing public awareness of Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia, along with increasing services for people with diagnoses and their caregivers, are front and center in recent state initiatives signed into law in several states.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) recently signed a state budget bill that increases funding by $6.8 million for the Sunshine State’s Alzheimer’s Disease Initiative, which provides services to meet the needs of individuals living with Alzheimer’s disease and other memory disorders, and their families. The budget also provides an additional $2 million in funding for the Florida Alzheimer’s Center of Excellence.
Florida also enacted HB 885, requiring state employee group health insurance plan policies and the state Medicaid program to provide coverage for biomarker testing for the diagnosis, treatment, management and ongoing monitoring of disease.
Colorado enacted similar legislation when Gov. Jared Polis (D) signed SB 24-214 requiring large group, small group and individual health benefit plans to cover biomarker testing to guide treatment decisions.
In Vermont, Gov. Phil Scott (R) recently signed SB 302, requiring the state Department of Health and Department of Disabilities, Aging & Independent Living to develop Alzheimer’s and dementia-related public awareness materials.
And in Louisiana, Gov. Jeff Landry (R) signed HB 393, requiring the state Department of Health to educate health providers about certain dementia-related services and care, including the importance of care planning and the use of validated cognitive assessment tools. In addition, the Louisiana Office of Public Health now is required to strengthen outreach efforts to increase awareness of Alzheimer’s and other dementias, promote the value of early detection, identify and report signs of dementia, and increase dementia-related data and surveillance.
The state also gave senior living a seat at the table in adopting a bill establishing the Louisiana Alzheimer’s and Related Dementias Advisory Council. SB 46 was called “critical legislation” that promotes a comprehensive and collaborative effort between the private sector and state agencies.
