Sunday, July 23, 2023 | 2 a.m.
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Alzheimer’s disease and its many devastating effects are something far too many families have experience dealing with. The Nevada Legislature recognized the need for a specialized focus on the disease and, in 2013, passed Assembly Bill 80, which created the Task Force on Alzheimer’s Disease. This task force, which I am proud to be a member of, creates an Annual State Plan to Address Alzheimer’s disease, in which we make recommendations for steps we can take to make a difference for people in Nevada suffering with this disease and their families.
While there are important steps we can and should take at the state level, there are certain things happening federally that are critical to ensuring we are doing the most good to help the most people. For many decades, no drugs addressed the root causes of the disease, only therapies to help lessen symptoms. However, a new class of Alzheimer’s drugs has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
These disease-modifying therapies use monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) directed against amyloid for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease. These drugs are a massive step forward in our treatment of Alzheimer’s, as they have been shown to help slow or even stop the progression of the disease.
But why don’t more people have access to this treatment yet? Unfortunately, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) took the unprecedented step of limiting coverage of these drugs.
Typically, if the FDA approves a drug, Medicare pays for it. But CMS said it wasn’t convinced that this new class of Alzheimer’s drugs is reasonable and necessary for seniors. Medicare said it would only pay for these treatments if patients enroll in randomized controlled trials. By doing this, CMS is essentially saying that unless you have the time, energy and money to relocate near a medical center that conducts these types of trials, you can’t get access to this medication. This is unfair and unacceptable.
These new Alzheimer’s treatments have been shown to be safe and effective by the FDA, yet virtually no one who needs these medications has access to them. Thankfully, in March, the Veterans Health Administration announced that it would cover these medications for veterans with early-stage Alzheimer’s because the clinical evidence and research show that there are many people who will see benefits from these types of therapies. I am grateful our veterans will have access to these treatments, but it is not enough. CMS must provide the same coverage for all seniors.
In Nevada, we are lucky to have leaders like Sen. Jacky Rosen, who has been a strong advocate for so many families. I hope she will encourage CMS to do the right thing and cover these life-
changing treatments. For far too many families, there is no more time to wait.
Michelle Gorelow represents District 35 in the Nevada Assembly.
