Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
White House Dementia Care Program Aims At Quality, But Not Drug Prices
Axios: Medicare Pilot Aims To Coordinate Dementia Care
The Biden administration on Monday rolled out a new Medicare pilot program aimed at improving the quality of life for people with dementia and reducing the burden on unpaid caregivers. The new payment model from Medicare's innovation lab will test a standardized approach to providing coordinated care to patients with dementia, who often have complex health care needs. (Millman, 7/31)
Stat: Medicare's Plan To Improve Alzheimer’s Care Sidesteps Drug Prices
Medicare announced Monday a pilot program aimed at improving dementia care and reducing the strain on unpaid caregivers, but it does not deal with controlling the price of new Alzheimer’s drugs. (Wilkerson, 7/31)
Also —
Reuters: Quest Diagnostics Launches Alzheimer's Blood Test For Consumers
Quest Diagnostics on Monday launched the first direct-to-consumer blood test to detect abnormal levels of beta amyloid, a key Alzheimer's disease protein that can appear years before dementia symptoms arise. The $399 test, called AD-Detect, uses the same technology as a blood test the company began selling for use by doctors in early 2022. (Seenhuysen, 7/31)
Axios: 1 In 10 Older Adults In Arizona Have Alzheimer's Disease
An estimated 11% of Arizona residents ages 65 and older have Alzheimer's disease, per a new study. It's critical for public health officials, policymakers and others to have a clear look at the number of Alzheimer's cases in a given area, authors say. Caring for those with the disease cost an estimated $321 billion nationwide last year, much of which came via Medicare and Medicaid. (Boehm, Beheraj and Fitzpatrick, 7/31)
Axios: Alzheimer's Prevalence In California
California has one of the highest rates of Alzheimer's disease in the country, according to a new study. It's critical for public health officials, policymakers and others to have a clear look at the number of Alzheimer's cases in a given area, the authors say — in part because caring for those with the disease cost an estimated $321 billion nationwide last year, much of which came via Medicare and Medicaid. An estimated 12% of adults 65 or older in California have Alzheimer's disease, according to data published in the journal Alzheimer's & Dementia. (Fitzpatrick and Dickey, 7/31)
