Bill Text: NJ AR233 | 2014-2015 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Urges Congress to double Alzheimer's research funding in fiscal year 2016, and develop plan for fiscal years 2017 through 2020 to spend $2 billion each year on Alzheimer's research.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 9-0)
Status: (Passed) 2015-06-25 - Filed with Secretary of State [AR233 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2014-AR233-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman MILA M. JASEY
District 27 (Essex and Morris)
Assemblyman JOHN F. MCKEON
District 27 (Essex and Morris)
SYNOPSIS
Urges Congress to double Alzheimer's research funding in fiscal year 2016, and develop plan for fiscal years 2017 through 2020 to spend $2 billion each year on Alzheimer's research.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Assembly Resolution urging Congress to double Alzheimer's research funding in fiscal year 2016 and develop a plan for fiscal years 2017 through 2020 to spend $2 billion each year on Alzheimer's research.
Whereas, The number of individuals in the United States with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias is as high as 5.2 million, which is more than double the number in 1980; and
Whereas, Based on the trajectory of Alzheimer's, as many as 16 million individuals in the United States may have Alzheimer's by 2050; and
Whereas, Alzheimer's is a global health crisis that afflicts an estimated 36 million individuals worldwide as of October 2013 and may afflict over 115 million individuals by 2050; and
Whereas, Alzheimer's is the 6th leading cause of death in the United States; and
Whereas, Alzheimer's is the only disease among the top 10 causes of death in the United States without an effective means of prevention, treatment, or cure; and
Whereas, Alzheimer's places an enormous financial strain on families, the health care system, and State and federal budgets; and
Whereas, In 2013, the direct costs of caring for individuals with Alzheimer's will total an estimated $203 billion, including $142 billion in costs to the Medicare program under title XVIII of the Social Security Act, 42 U.S.C. 1395 et seq., and the Medicaid program under title XIX of the Social Security Act, 42 U.S.C. 1396 et seq.; and
Whereas, The annual costs of caring for individuals with Alzheimer's are projected to increase from $203 billion in 2013 to $1.2 trillion in 2050; and
Whereas, A RAND Corporation study published in 2013 and commissioned by the National Institute on Aging found that Alzheimer's is the costliest disease in the United States, costing more than cancer and heart disease; and
Whereas, In 2012, an estimated 15 million family members and friends of individuals with Alzheimer's provided those individuals with 17.5 billion hours of unpaid care, an amount valued at more than $216 million; and
Whereas, The global cost of Alzheimer's exceeds $600 billion each year, an amount equal to approximately one percent of the world's gross domestic product; and
Whereas, Alzheimer's takes an emotional and physical toll on caregivers that results in a higher incidence of chronic conditions, such as heart disease, cancer, and depression among caregivers; and
Whereas, The National Plan to Address Alzheimer's Disease of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services enables family caregivers of individuals with Alzheimer's to provide care while maintaining personal health and well-being; and
Whereas, The National Plan to Address Alzheimer's Disease supports informal caregivers by identifying the support needs of caregivers; developing and disseminating modes for intervention; providing information that caregivers need, particularly in crisis situations; and assisting caregivers in maintaining personal health and well-being; and
Whereas, A strong and sustained research effort is the best tool to slow the progression and ultimately prevent the onset of Alzheimer's; and
Whereas, The National Institutes of Health annually spends approximately $6 billion on cancer research; $3 billion on HIV/AIDS research; and $2 billion on cardiovascular disease research; and
Whereas, While the cost to the Medicare and Medicaid programs of caring for Alzheimer's patients is $142 billion a year, the United States annually spends slightly more than $500 million on Alzheimer's research; and
Whereas, The Chairman of the Advisory Council on Alzheimer's Research, Care, and Services, which was created by the National Alzheimer's Project Act, 42 U.S.C. 11225, has testified before Congress that the United States must devote at least $2 billion a year to Alzheimer's research to reach the goal of preventing and effectively treating Alzheimer's by 2025; and
Whereas, The public members of the Advisory Council on Alzheimer's Research, Care, and Services unanimously agree with the testimony of the Chairman regarding the amount of money required to reach the goal for 2025; now, therefore,
Be It Resolved by the General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. This House urges the United States Congress to double the amount of funding the United States spends on Alzheimer's research in fiscal year 2016, and to develop a plan for fiscal years 2017 through 2020 to meet the target identified by the Advisory Council on Alzheimer's Research, Care, and Services, which calls for the United States to spend $2 billion each year on Alzheimer's research.
2. Copies of this resolution, as filed with the Secretary of State, shall be transmitted by the Clerk of the General Assembly to the Speaker and Minority Leader of the United States House of Representatives, the Majority and Minority Leaders of the United States Senate, and each member of Congress elected from this State.
STATEMENT
This resolution urges Congress to double the amount of funding the United States spends on Alzheimer's research in fiscal year 2016, and to develop a plan for fiscal years 2017 through 2020 to meet the target identified by the Advisory Council on Alzheimer's Research, Care, and Services, which calls for the United States to spend $2 billion each year on Alzheimer's research.
Achieving the primary goal of the National Plan to Address Alzheimer's Disease to prevent and effectively treat Alzheimer's by 2025 is an urgent national priority, and bold action and dramatic increases in funding are necessary to meet that goal.
