We are at a critical moment in the fight against Alzheimer’s and all other dementia. With new treatments emerging and blood-based screening tests capable of detecting Alzheimer’s before symptoms appear, the gap between scientific progress and Medicare coverage has never been more urgent to close. That urgency was on full display at a recent Punchbowl News pop-up event sponsored by the Alzheimer’s Association in Washington, D.C., where Alzheimer’s Association President and CEO Dr. Joanne Pike joined Reps. Vern Buchanan (R-Fla.) and Paul Tonko (D-N.Y.) — the House lead sponsors and longtime bipartisan champions — to make the case for the Alzheimer’s Screening and Prevention (ASAP) Act.

The ASAP Act would remove the legal barrier to Medicare coverage of blood-based dementia screening tests. These tests represent a transformative step forward, enabling earlier and more accurate diagnoses, connecting individuals to treatments and clinical trials sooner, and giving families precious time to plan.

Joanne Pike, DrPH, president and CEO of the Alzheimer’s Association and AIM, took part in a fireside chat that captured both the progress and the opportunity. “Right now we are seeing an incredible build of innovation, whether that’s in treatment or diagnostics or in the care journey,” said Pike. “And ASAP gives us the ability to bring that to life at the community level.”

Reps. Buchanan and Tonko kicked off the conversation with their own sense of urgency. Rep. Buchanan, who has spoken openly about caring for his father through Alzheimer’s disease, brought a deeply personal perspective to the discussion. “I’ve seen the agony that families have to deal with,” said Buchanan. “I thought if I ever get in a position where I can make a difference on something, this would be it.”

Rep. Tonko framed the bipartisan legislation as an essential response to recent scientific progress. “This is a way to scientifically keep pace with that innovation,” said Tonko.

The bill has gained significant momentum, with more than 100 cosponsors in the House and 25 in the Senate — a testament to the growing recognition that early detection saves lives and resources. Rep. Tonko was direct about what is at stake. “Failure is not an option because the impact of some 7 million people with this disease or some sort of dementia is a real drain on their household income, on their quality of life, and certainly on the federal budget.”

That progress is also backed by growing federal investment. “Progress in research is coming at a fast pace,” said Pike. “Thanks to [bipartisan champions like] Congressmen Tonko and Buchanan, along with our Senate champion Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), we were able to increase the Alzheimer’s research budget this year by an additional $100 million, bringing the total to $3.9 billion. It’s dollars like that that make the impact on diagnostics and treatments that we’re starting to see today.”

This momentum will carry into the AIM Advocacy Forum on June 1–3, when more than 1,000 advocates from across the country will travel to Washington, D.C., to meet with their members of Congress and urge support for the bipartisan ASAP Act and other federal priorities. Their voices — alongside champions like Reps. Buchanan and Tonko — are how progress becomes law.

Take action today and urge your member of Congress to support this bipartisan legislation. Together, we can ensure that progress in science translates into progress in people’s lives.

Watch the full event recording.