Politico Afternoon PULSE mentions USAgainstAlzheimer's Advocate Letters to CMS
ALZHEIMER’S ADVOCATES PRESS CMS ON TEST — The Alzheimer’s community wants Medicare to cover a PET test that scans for the beta-amyloid proteins in the brain that are associated with Alzheimer’s. But the agency has proposed turning them down, at least until more research is done, and the community is pushing back. Nearly 350 Alzheimer’s advocates filed comments this week on the agency’s proposed coverage determination urging coverage for a tool that they say can better diagnose patients who are being evaluated for dementia, according to USAgainstAlzheimer’s. The comment period closes today. The Congressional Task Force on Alzheimer’s Disease, led by Reps. Chris Smith (R-N.J.) and Maxine Waters (D-Calif.), also wrote CMS asking the agency to reconsider. A final decision is expected in October. The Smith-Waters letter:http://politico.pro/