Interview, Fireside Chat
A Conversation with Maxine Waters, US Representative, California
- The bipartisan committee on Alzheimer's Disease and Congress anticipate continued collaboration on resource appropriations and public policy to support caregivers and patients, with a national goal to achieve a cure or effective treatment by 2025.
- To reach the 2025 objective, the speaker plans to request a 2020 appropriation of $2.65 billion, representing a $350 million increase over the $2.3 billion funding level recorded in 2019, supported by 130 members of Congress.
- Speakers express optimism that Congress will reach agreements on reauthorizing the Export-Import Bank, the National Flood Insurance Program, and TRIA funding for terrorism or natural disaster insurance.
- Legislative priorities expected to move forward include affordable health care, reducing prescription drug costs, and infrastructure repair, though Senate Republicans are identified as a potential sticking point for drug pricing deals.
- Negotiations regarding prescription drugs will determine the specific number and types of drugs subject to negotiation, with high optimism for bipartisan agreement despite anticipated challenges.
- A bipartisan committee expects to continue working on agreeing on resource appropriations and public policy to support caregivers and patients facing the strain of dementia and Alzheimer's.
- Speakers note that young caregivers face significant strain balancing work with family care, and warn that stress from caregiving may contribute to premature deaths, while also highlighting that research funding has risen from approximately $586 million in 2015 to $2.3 billion in 2019.
- The outlook includes expectations that Alzheimer's will increasingly occur at younger ages, contrary to the belief that it is merely part of aging, necessitating public education on early testing and intervention.
- Outreach efforts are planned to target communities not connected to digital networks through public service announcements and funding to ensure widespread understanding of the importance of testing.
- Press attention is predicted to focus on controversial issues like the impeachment story, which may overshadow other legislative work, while funding for research is expected to continue growing with private industry driving significant advancements alongside government support.
- A specific prediction warns that failure to effectively address Alzheimer's research and potential cures could result in the disease bankrupting the nation.