S. Brett Guthrie

21/11/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 21/11/2024 18:16

Guthrie’s Bill to Provide Access to Care and Support Services for Alzheimer’s Patients and Their Families Heads to the President’s Desk

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Chairman of the Health Subcommittee of the House Energy & Commerce Committee, released the following statement after his bill the Building Our Largest Dementia (BOLD) Infrastructure for Alzheimer's Reauthorization Act of 2024, passed the United States Senate:

"Last night, I was honored to see my bill, the BOLD Act, pass the United States Senate and head to the President's desk to be signed into law. Alzheimer's Disease affects patients and their families across the nation indiscriminately. The BOLD Act will help individuals, families, caregivers, and the health care system by reauthorizing critical programs to improve early detection and diagnosis, as well as provide resources to help identify more effective treatments for those living with Alzheimer's Disease. My bill also helps to provide caregiver support resources to improve the quality of life for patients and their loved ones caring for them. I am proud this bill is one step closer to getting signed into law, and I won't stop my hard-work in Congress fighting on behalf of Alzheimer's Disease patients and their families until we have a cure for this tragic disease," said Chairman Guthrie.

Background

  • The BOLD Infrastructure for Alzheimer's Act, which I was also proud to lead, was first passed into law in 2018 and was signed by President Trump in 2019. This created a public health infrastructure to support prevention, treatment, and care for patients with Alzheimer's and related neurological diseases.
  • Specifically, the BOLD Infrastructure for Alzheimer's Reauthorization Act will:

o Continue to build an Alzheimer's and related dementias network by establishing Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias Public Health Centers of Excellence and awarding cooperative agreements to public health departments, which will help the Centers and state, local and tribal public health departments develop and carry out Alzheimer's interventions. This crucial support will help public health departments across the country strengthen their efforts aimed at increasing early detection and diagnosis, reducing risk, and preventing unnecessary hospitalizations of people living with Alzheimer's and related dementias.

o Require robust data analysis and reporting through Cooperative Agreements with the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) that will ensure data on Alzheimer's, cognitive decline, caregiving, and health disparities are analyzed and disseminated to the public in a timely manner.

Click Here to read the full text of the bill.

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