Tennessee State Alzheimer’s Plan Overview
In July 2007, the Tennessee General Assembly established the Tennessee Alzheimer’s Disease Task Force to assess the current and future impact of Alzheimer’s disease in Tennessee, examine services and resources, and draft a state strategy to respond to Alzheimer’s within the state. The Task Force included representatives from long-term care organizations, adult day providers, physician groups, community organizations, state agencies, caregivers, individuals living with the disease and state legislators. In February 2009, the Task Force published the Tennessee Alzheimer’s Disease Task Force Final Report.
In May of 2019, the Tennessee General Assembly enacted Senate Bill 28 (Public Chapter No. 364) establishing the Tennessee Alzheimer’s Disease Advisory Council. In January 2020, the Advisory Council published the updated Alzheimer’s and Related Dementia State Plan.
Tennessee 2025 Policy Priorities
Improve Access to Biomarker Testing
With the historic Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of treatments that slow the progression of Alzheimer’s in the early stages, early detection and diagnosis are even more critical to ensure individuals receive the most benefit at the earliest point possible. Biomarkers offer one of the most promising paths to improve dementia detection, diagnosis and treatment. Yet these critical tests remain out of reach for many as insurance coverage is failing to keep pace with innovations and advancements in treatments. The Alzheimer’s Association is urging state lawmakers to expand insurance coverage of comprehensive biomarker testing. Without this legislation, dementia diagnoses may take up to two years, increasing the long-term costs to the individual, family and the state.
Medicaid Reimbursement for Care Planning and Cognitive Assessments
Early intervention can provide individuals living with dementia more time to plan for the future, adopt lifestyle changes, participate in clinical trials, and live more fully with a higher quality of life for as long as possible. Medicare beneficiaries in Tennessee have access to a billing code that covers cognitive assessments and care planning. However, individuals under 65 relying on Medicaid do not have access to this critical service. With current promising treatments only effective in the early stages of the disease, getting an early diagnosis is more important than ever. The Alzheimer’s Association is calling on TennCare to provide reimbursement through Medicaid for CPT Billing Code 99483, which would reimburse providers for care planning and cognitive assessments for patients not enrolled in Medicare.
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129,200
people living with Alzheimer’s in Tennessee
386,000
Tennesseans are providing unpaid care
$1.5 Billion
Medicaid cost of caring for people living with Alzheimer’s (2025)
186.4%
increase in Alzheimer’s deaths 2000-2022
19%
in hospice with a primary diagnosis of dementia
232.4%
increase of geriatricians in Tennessee needed to meet the demand in 2050
Resources to Drive Change in Tennessee
The following resources developed by AIM and the Alzheimer’s Association will help you learn more about the issues impacting people living with Alzheimer’s and their caregivers, how Tennessee policymakers are addressing these gaps, and how you can help drive change.