The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a draft decision that essentially denies coverage of treatments targeting amyloid for Alzheimer's disease, including aducanumab, the first FDA-approved therapy to address the underlying biology of Alzheimer's disease. 

To explain the challenges and concerns posed by the draft decision memo, the Alzheimer's Association and AIM convened a group of experts for a Congressional briefing. You can watch the briefing below: 

0:02: Welcome and Overview by Robert Egge, chief public policy officer, Alzheimer's Association
0:55: Summary of Recent Developments and Key Features of the Draft Decision Memo by Robert Egge
6:12: Observations on the Draft Decision Memo by Dr. Mark McClellan, former administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and former commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
20:04: Q&A with Dr. Mark McClellan and Robert Egge
23:31: How the CMS Proposal Inappropriately Addresses the Entire Class of Treatments by Dr. Joanne Pike, president, Alzheimer's Association
29:00: Uncertain Clinical Effectiveness Poses Key Policy Choice by Robert Egge
32:55: Patient Perspective by Dale Rivard (Minnesota), living with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI)
39:42: CMS Proposal Takes Wrong Approach in Commendable Pursuit of Safety by Robert Egge
42:28: A Deeper Understanding of the Class Safety Profile by Dr. Maria Carrillo, chief science officer, Alzheimer's Association
52:11: The Proposal's Potential Impact on Access and Equity by Dr. Carl V. Hill, chief diversity, equity and inclusion officer, Alzheimer's Association
56:18: Closing by Robert Egge, chief public policy officer, Alzheimer's Association
56:50: Patient Perspective by Phil Gutis (Pennsylvania), living with younger-onset Alzheimer's disease
 
CMS must improve this draft decision. They must ensure access for all who could benefit from FDA-approved treatments. Learn more and take action.