With so much attention being given to the growing number of people with Alzheimer’s disease in Washington state, I’m grateful that our Congressman, Dave Reichert, has cosponsored a bill that will help them and their families.

This is particularly important for me as I was diagnosed with Younger Onset Alzheimer’s disease in 2013 at the age of 52, and have been living with the increasing effects of this terminal disease ever since. This disease has taken away my ability to perform the work I love as a Physical Therapist, and will continue to have a devastating effect on my family.

The HOPE for Alzheimer’s Act is a bill to provide better care coordination planning after a Medicare beneficiary receives an Alzheimer’s diagnosis. All too often we hear that after all the testing and diagnosis is done the physician gives the patient and family no guidance for what’s next.

In fact, the Alzheimer’s Association last March released a report showing that only 45 percent of the people diagnosed with the disease are actually told of that diagnosis, versus over 90 percent of the time for the four most common cancer diagnoses. Fortunately for me, my neurologist was quick to make a clear diagnosis of Alzheimer’s after appropriate testing, but I know many others who have waited years for a proper diagnosis.

One reason is that physicians are not properly reimbursed for taking the time to sit down with the patient and family to help them through this difficult news of an Alzheimer’s diagnosis. This bill would cover that time, and also launch an effort to educate physicians about the new coverage.

Congressman Reichert wisely recognizes this is a problem and that Congress needs to respond. Now let’s hope the rest of the Congress approves this needed legislation in 2016.

– Nancy Johnson