Bill > HR3501

This bill aims to enhance cognitive impairment detection for Medicare beneficiaries by mandating cognitive screening during annual wellness visits and initial preventive physical examinations. Specifically, the bill requires healthcare providers to use a cognitive impairment detection tool identified by the National Institute on Aging during these appointments, and to document the specific tool used and the assessment results in the patient's medical record. The changes are motivated by compelling statistics about Alzheimer's disease, including that 6.9 million Americans currently live with the condition, with projections suggesting this number could rise to 13.8 million by 2060. The bill highlights significant disparities in Alzheimer's prevalence, noting that Black Americans are twice as likely and Latino Americans are one and a half times as likely to have the disease compared to White Americans. By mandating early cognitive screening, the bill seeks to enable patients to access care planning services, treatments, and clinical trials earlier, potentially mitigating the disease's progression. These new requirements will take effect for annual wellness visits and initial preventive physical examinations on or after January 1, 2026, providing healthcare providers and systems time to prepare for implementation.

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https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/3501/all-info