119-hr3501

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3501 Introduced in House

    (IH) ]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
 1st Session
 H. R. 3501

To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for certain 
 cognitive impairment detection in the Medicare annual wellness visit 
 and initial preventive physical examination.

_______________________________________________________________________

 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

 May 19, 2025

 Ms. Sanchez (for herself, Mr. LaHood, Ms. Matsui, and Mr. Bilirakis) 
 introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on 
 Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and 
 Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in 
 each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the 
 jurisdiction of the committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

 A BILL

To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for certain 
 cognitive impairment detection in the Medicare annual wellness visit 
 and initial preventive physical examination.

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

SECTION 1. FINDINGS.

 Congress finds the following:

    (1) It is estimated that 6.9 million Americans are living 
 with Alzheimer's disease, a number that is estimated to rise to 
 nearly 13.8 million by 2060. About one in eleven people age 65 
 and older has Alzheimer's.

    (2) Older Black Americans are twice as likely, and Latino 
 Americans are one and one-half times as likely, to have 
 Alzheimer's disease than older White Americans. Nearly two-
 thirds of Americans with Alzheimer's disease are women.

    (3) Alzheimer's disease is the fifth-leading cause of death 
 in America among Americans aged 65 and older.

    (4) Between 2000 and 2021, deaths from stroke, heart 
 disease and HIV decreased, whereas reported deaths from AD 
 increased more than 140 percent.

    (5) Addressing modifiable risk factors for Alzheimer's and 
 other dementias such as hypertension, physical inactivity, 
 smoking, depression, diabetes, obesity, and poor nutrition 
 might prevent or delay up to 40 percent of dementia cases. In 
 2021 the National Plan to Addresses Alzheimer's disease was 
 updated to include a new goal to focus on reducing risk of 
 developing dementia.

    (6) An early, documented diagnosis, communicated to the 
 patient and caregiver, enables early access to care planning 
 services and available medical and nonmedical treatments, and 
 optimizes patients' ability to build a care team, participate 
 in support services, and enroll in clinical trials.

    (7) Alzheimer's exacts an emotional and physical toll on 
 caregivers, resulting in higher incidence of heart disease, 
 cancer, depression, and other health consequences.

    (8) More than 11.5 million Americans provide unpaid care 
 for people with Alzheimer's or other dementia and provided 
 nearly $347 billion in unpaid care to people living with 
 Alzheimer's and other dementias in 2023.

    (9) In 2024, it is estimated that Alzheimer's and related 
 dementias will cost our nation $360 billion, not including the 
 value of unpaid caregiving. By 2050, it is estimated that these 
 direct costs will increase to nearly $1.1 trillion.

    (10) Medicare and Medicaid are expected to cover nearly 
 $231 billion, only about 64 percent of the total healthcare and 
 long-term payments for people with Alzheimer's or dementia. 
 Out-of-pocket spending is expected to be about $91 billion, or 
 about 25 percent of total payments.

SEC. 2. COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT DETECTION BENEFIT IN THE MEDICARE ANNUAL 
 WELLNESS VISIT AND INITIAL PREVENTIVE PHYSICAL 
 EXAMINATION.

    (a) Annual Wellness Visit.--

    (1) In general.--

Section 1861

    (hhh)

    (2) of the Social 
 Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395x

    (hhh)

    (2) ) is amended by striking 
 subparagraph
            (D) and inserting the following:
 ``
            (D) Detection of any cognitive impairment that 
 shall--
 ``
            (i) be performed using one of the 
 cognitive impairment detection tools identified 
 by the National Institute on Aging as meeting 
 its criteria for selecting instruments to 
 detect cognitive impairment in the primary care 
 setting; and
 ``
            (ii) include documentation of the tool 
 used for detecting cognitive impairment and 
 results of the assessment in the patient's 
 medical record.''.

    (2) Effective date.--The amendment made by paragraph

    (1) shall apply to annual wellness visits furnished on or after 
 January 1, 2026.

    (b) Initial Preventive Physical Examination.--

    (1) In general.--

Section 1861

    (ww)

    (1) of the Social Security 
 Act (42 U.S.C. 1395x

    (ww)

    (1) ) is amended by striking ``agreement 
 with the individual, and'' and inserting ``agreement with the 
 individual, detection of any cognitive impairment as described 
 in subsection

    (hhh)

    (2)
            (D) , and''.

    (2) Effective date.--The amendment made by paragraph

    (1) shall apply to initial preventive physical examinations 
 furnished on or after January 1, 2026.
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