Every year, thousands of Americans hear the devastating news that they have Alzheimer’s disease.  This diagnosis carries with it a certain future of declining mental and behavioral capabilities, and the eventual need for round-the-clock end-of-life care. The financial costs can be staggering, and the emotional costs immeasurable. While the impact of Alzheimer’s can be slowed, the disease itself cannot be prevented. But some of the anguish surrounding the specter of this condition is entirely avoidable.

Now a test is available that would confirm or refute, with great accuracy, a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s. PET imaging has been shown in a major study to detect the presence of amyloid plaques in the brain, one of the hallmarks of the disease. The Imaging Dementia-Evidence for Amyloid Scanning (IDEAS) study is testing 18,000 Medicare beneficiaries with mild cognitive impairment using amyloid pet scans. Five years ago, CMS declined to cover the cost of the tests, citing insufficient evidence that they would make a difference for patients with an incurable disease and limited treatment options. While the IDEAS study is still ongoing, it’s time for CMS to recognize the compelling evidence that the study is providing, and reimburse broader use of the PET amyloid scans.

In this month’s Chairman’s blog, I write about Medicare helping patients avoid the anxiety of an incorrect Alzheimer’s diagnosis.

You can read it here on the Alliance for Aging Research website.