Texas's $3 Billion Dementia Fund Spotlights Debate Over Federal Access to Alzheimer's Treatments
An estimated 7.4 million Americans age 65 and older are currently living with Alzheimer's disease, a number that could nearly double to 14 million by 2060. The FDA has approved therapies targeting amyloid in the brain and cleared the first blood test for diagnosing Alzheimer's in certain patients. Health and long-term care costs for Americans with Alzheimer's and other dementias are projected to reach $409 billion in 2026, not including an estimated $446 billion in unpaid caregiving.
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Alzheimer's disease ranked as the sixth-leading cause of death in the United States in 2024, and it remains without a cure. The disease's projected trajectory — from 7.4 million affected Americans today to nearly 14 million by 2060 — has prompted calls from state and federal policymakers to accelerate both research and patient access to recently approved treatments.
The FDA's approval of anti-amyloid therapies and a new blood-based diagnostic test has opened pathways for earlier intervention, according to the Washington Examiner opinion piece authored by former Texas House Speaker Tom Craddick. Earlier diagnosis, Craddick wrote, could allow patients to begin treatment sooner, participate in clinical trials, and make healthcare and financial decisions while they retain greater independence.
Despite those approvals, Craddick described several barriers to patient access: shortages of neurologists, geriatricians, and dementia specialists in many communities; variation in insurer coverage policies; and a Medicare requirement that patients with certain conditions participate in qualifying studies or registries to receive some anti-amyloid treatments.