On the recordJanuary 18, 2012
As we debate our national budget, we must address one of the largest costs threatening our economy and bankrupting our families--the Alzheimer's pandemic. 5.4 million Americans suffer from Alzheimer's today, and as all the baby boomers retire, 15 million Americans will have Alzheimer's. We already spend $130 billion a year on Alzheimer's from Medicare and Medicaid. At this rate, in 2050, we will spend $800 billion every year from Medicare and Medicaid on this one disease alone. That is more than the entire defense budget today. Thankfully, right now, the Advisory Council for the National Alzheimer's Project Act is developing the first-ever comprehensive national plan to fight this disease. We cannot cut funding for medical research for Alzheimer's today if we want to balance the budget tomorrow. We made a vow to care for our citizens as they age. NIH is the National Institutes of Hope. We must not cut that budget or else all of these families with Alzheimer's will have no hope. ____________________
