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For the 6 million Americans living with Alzheimer’s disease, the wait for treatment options is almost over. Or is it? 

More than a half dozen drugs to treat Alzheimer’s disease and its symptoms are in various stages of development and review. The pipeline includes a treatment for slowing functional decline, and another to address dementia-related psychosis. And new antibody treatments will be among the first drugs that treat the underlying disease, not just the symptoms.

In short, the next generation of drugs will offer Alzheimer’s patients a better quality of life – if they can access the medications. 

Health plans have a history of imposing barriers to breakthrough treatments. That’s why advocates are speaking up now – ahead of the drugs’ release. Among their greatest concerns:

Insurance companies often use these and other tactics to limit their spending, but the cost of not treating Alzheimer’s disease is also significant. Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia are anticipated to cost the nation $355 billion in 2021. That figure doesn’t consider losses to quality of life and personal dignity for people living with the progressive disease. 

Alzheimer’s patients and their caregivers have waited long enough and health plans shouldn’t prolong their pain by putting delay tactics into place for new medications.

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