In Support of the Alzheimer's Community

Floor Speech

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Ms. BARRAGAN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to speak in support of the millions of Americans living with Alzheimer's disease, and their family members and caregivers.

I am speaking up because the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services, CMS, made a decision that will severely limit access to the only drug shown to slow the progression of Alzheimer's. I think their decision is a mistake.

Alzheimer's is a heartbreaking disease. It has no cure. These are the faces of Alzheimer's. They are our sisters, our brothers, our mothers, our fathers, our neighbors, our grandparents, our fellow Americans, who are living with this dreadful disease. As time passes, they are slipping away from their loved ones a little bit at a time. They have asked and hoped for something to help them. Anything. Anything that could give them more time with their families.

For the past 20 years, there has been little progress on new Alzheimer's drugs. Like too many other Americans, I have had the heartbreaking experience of watching my mother struggle with Alzheimer's, and still have the challenge of finding sufficient caregivers to help care for her and those who speak Spanish. My mother's story is not unique. Nearly 6 million people in the United States are suffering from Alzheimer's, and this number is growing every single day.

Last summer, the Food and Drug Administration approved the first new Alzheimer's drug, providing hope for families. But CMS will not cover it. They finalized a coverage policy that will tightly restrict access to the entire and only known class of drug that has shown promise to slow the progression of Alzheimer's disease.

Is that the way we should respond to this crisis?

This is an access issue. People who have money and can pay for it will get the drug. People who are under a CMS program will not.

Every day, Americans living with Alzheimer's are burdened with the expense of caregivers, doctors' visits, and seeing their family members decline. This is why my colleagues and I wrote a letter urging CMS not to limit access to breakthrough therapies for Alzheimer's patients. And as a representative of over 150,000 Angelenos who are living with Alzheimer's disease, I am deeply disappointed with CMS's decision. These are my constituents and members of my community, as well as yours. Time is not on our side in this fight.

To all the patients, families, and caregivers out there who are struggling with Alzheimer's, I am not done. I stand with you and I will continue to fight for you.

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