S 3036 ES

To establish the National Alzheimer’s Project.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

This Act may be cited as the ‘National Alzheimer’s Project Act’.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

(a) Definition of Alzheimer’s- In this Act, the term ‘Alzheimer’s’ means Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(b) Establishment- There is established in the Office of the Secretary of Health and Human Services the National Alzheimer’s Project (referred to in this Act as the ‘Project’).CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(c) Purpose of the Project- The Secretary of Health and Human Services, or the Secretary’s designee, shall--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) be responsible for the creation and maintenance of an integrated national plan to overcome Alzheimer’s;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) provide information and coordination of Alzheimer’s research and services across all Federal agencies;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(3) accelerate the development of treatments that would prevent, halt, or reverse the course of Alzheimer’s;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(4) improve the--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(A) early diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(B) coordination of the care and treatment of citizens with Alzheimer’s;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(5) ensure the inclusion of ethnic and racial populations at higher risk for Alzheimer’s or least likely to receive care, in clinical, research, and service efforts with the purpose of decreasing health disparities in Alzheimer’s; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(6) coordinate with international bodies to integrate and inform the fight against Alzheimer’s globally.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(d) Duties of the Secretary-CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) IN GENERAL- The Secretary of Health and Human Services, or the Secretary’s designee, shall--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(A) oversee the creation and updating of the national plan described in paragraph (2); andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(B) use discretionary authority to evaluate all Federal programs around Alzheimer’s, including budget requests and approvals.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) NATIONAL PLAN- The Secretary of Health and Human Services, or the Secretary’s designee, shall carry out an annual assessment of the Nation’s progress in preparing for the escalating burden of Alzheimer’s, including both implementation steps and recommendations for priority actions based on the assessment.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(e) Advisory Council-CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) IN GENERAL- There is established an Advisory Council on Alzheimer’s Research, Care, and Services (referred to in this Act as the ‘Advisory Council’).CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) MEMBERSHIP-CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(A) FEDERAL MEMBERS- The Advisory Council shall be comprised of the following experts:CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(i) A designee of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(ii) A designee of the Administration on Aging.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(iii) A designee of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(iv) A designee of the Indian Health Service.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(v) A designee of the Office of the Director of the National Institutes of Health.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(vi) The Surgeon General.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(vii) A designee of the National Science Foundation.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(viii) A designee of the Department of Veterans Affairs.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(ix) A designee of the Food and Drug Administration.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(x) A designee of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(B) NON-FEDERAL MEMBERS- In addition to the members outlined in subparagraph (A), the Advisory Council shall include 12 expert members from outside the Federal Government, which shall include--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(i) 2 Alzheimer’s patient advocates;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(ii) 2 Alzheimer’s caregivers;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(iii) 2 health care providers;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(iv) 2 representatives of State health departments;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(v) 2 researchers with Alzheimer’s-related expertise in basic, translational, clinical, or drug development science; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(vi) 2 voluntary health association representatives, including a national Alzheimer’s disease organization that has demonstrated experience in research, care, and patient services, and a State-based advocacy organization that provides services to families and professionals, including information and referral, support groups, care consultation, education, and safety services.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(3) MEETINGS- The Advisory Council shall meet quarterly and such meetings shall be open to the public.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(4) ADVICE- The Advisory Council shall advise the Secretary of Health and Human Services, or the Secretary’s designee.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(5) ANNUAL REPORT- The Advisory Council shall provide to the Secretary of Health and Human Services, or the Secretary’s designee and Congress--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(A) an initial evaluation of all federally funded efforts in Alzheimer’s research, clinical care, and institutional-, home-, and community-based programs and their outcomes;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(B) initial recommendations for priority actions to expand, eliminate, coordinate, or condense programs based on the program’s performance, mission, and purpose;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(C) initial recommendations to--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(i) reduce the financial impact of Alzheimer’s on--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(I) Medicare and other federally funded programs; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(II) families living with Alzheimer’s disease; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(ii) improve health outcomes; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(D) annually thereafter, an evaluation of the implementation, including outcomes, of the recommendations, including priorities if necessary, through an updated national plan under subsection (d)(2).CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(6) TERMINATION- The Advisory Council shall terminate on December 31, 2025.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(f) Data Sharing- Agencies both within the Department of Health and Human Services and outside of the Department that have data relating to Alzheimer’s shall share such data with the Secretary of Health and Human Services, or the Secretary’s designee, to enable the Secretary, or the Secretary’s designee, to complete the report described in subsection (g).CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(g) Annual Report- The Secretary of Health and Human Services, or the Secretary’s designee, shall submit to Congress--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) an annual report that includes an evaluation of all federally funded efforts in Alzheimer’s research, clinical care, and institutional-, home-, and community-based programs and their outcomes;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) an evaluation of all federally funded programs based on program performance, mission, and purpose related to Alzheimer’s disease;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(3) recommendations for--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(A) priority actions based on the evaluation conducted by the Secretary and the Advisory Council to--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(i) reduce the financial impact of Alzheimer’s on--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(I) Medicare and other federally funded programs; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(II) families living with Alzheimer’s disease; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(ii) improve health outcomes;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(B) implementation steps; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(C) priority actions to improve the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, care, institutional-, home-, and community-based programs of Alzheimer’s disease for individuals with Alzheimer’s disease and their caregivers; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(4) an annually updated national plan.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(h) Sunset- The Project shall expire on December 31, 2025.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

Passed the Senate December 8, 2010.

Attest:

Secretary.

President of the Senate.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink