Tillis Co-Sponsored Legislation to Combat Alzheimer’s Signed Into Law |
The Campaign Trail |
By Donna Martinez |
Friday, 11 January 2019 09:21 |
Bipartisan legislation co-sponsored by Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC) that would, for the first time, create a public health infrastructure across the country to combat Alzheimer’s disease and preserve brain healthwas signed into law by President Trump. “Successfully getting this legislation signed into law has a deep personal meaning for me, as I was a caregiver for my grandmother during her battle with Alzheimer’s disease,” said Senator Tillis. “The BOLD Infrastructure for Alzheimer’s Act will create the framework necessary to preserve brain health for millions of Americans, and I am proud to be a part of the fight to combat, and hopefully one day end, this terrible disease.”
More than five million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s, and the United States spends more than $277 billion per year, including $186 billion in costs to Medicare and Medicaid. In North Carolina, more than 170,000 people are living with the disease, and over 466,0000 family members and friends are providing care. Without further action, the number of Americans with Alzheimer’s is expected to triple to as many as 14 million by 2050, costing the nation more than $1.1 trillion per year. The Building Our Largest Dementia (BOLD) Infrastructure for Alzheimer’s Act will apply a public health approach to reduce risk, detect early symptoms, advance care, improve data, and ultimately change the trajectory of this devastating disease. Headed by the Centers for Disease and Prevention (CDC), it will authorize $20 million annually over the next five years to establish:
The BOLD Act is supported by 183 organizations and individuals, including the Alzheimer’s Association, Alzheimer’s Impact Movement, and Maria Shriver, founder of The Women’s Alzheimer’s Movement. |