The taxing cost of Alzheimer’s on patients, caregivers and the US Healthsystem
The devastating diagnosis of Alzheimer’s is heavy, costly and debilitating for patients and their loved ones. From memory loss and cognitive decline to changes in behavior and communication, Alzheimer's is a progressive neurological disorder for which there is no cure and its effects are far reaching. According to the Alzheimer’s Association, nearly 7 million people are living with Alzheimer’s Disease and their projections anticipate that Alzheimer’s diagnoses will rise to 13 Million by 2050.
The increase in diagnosis means the health and long-term care costs for people living with dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease are also rapidly increasing. This year in 2024, healthcare costs surrounding Alzheimer’s Disease are projected to reach $360 Billion and will grow to nearly 1 Trillion by 2050. So the need for programs that offer medical assistance to patients as well as caregivers is critical.
While there is no cure currently available for Alzheimer’s; there is extensive research studying the cause and courses of treatment with 141 drugs being tested in clinical trials. Recent studies have observed that people with Alzheimer’s have an abnormal buildup of amyloid proteins in the brain that build up into plaques. Research suggests that the small clumps or plaques of beta-amyloid may block cell to cell communication at synapses and eventually cause cell death and impair various parts of the brain, creating cellular damage and a toxic environment.
In January 2024, the first FDA approved Lecanemab, marketed as LEQEMBI, which is a break through drug that demonstrated the ability to slow the decline in Alzheimer's disease if prescribed early. LEQEMBI targets and removes beta-amyloid proteins from the brain in patients with mild Alzheimer’s. This medication is administered via an IV infusion therapy and modestly slows the rate of cognitive decline in patients. A second drug called Donanemab was recently submitted for FDA approval in addition to Lecanemab. These new medications offer some new options to slow the progression of Alzheimer’s disease for patients with mild and early stage Alzheimer’s. These new medications attempt to slow the progression of the disease and temporarily reduce symptoms at the onset of the disease instead of just treating Alzheimer’s symptoms. It’s important to know that these drugs can have serious side effects and that you should talk in detail with your doctor about whether you or a patient you know could be a good candidate. Last but not least, the cost of Donanemab is significant. If you are a patient who uses Donanemab, expect the cumulative cost with required testing, monitoring and scans to be $82,500 per patient per year; while the drug alone is expected to cost around $26,500 annually.
Since 92% of the market for Lecanemab qualify for Medicare and Medicaid programs, it’s estimated that Lecanemab and related care would cost Medicare $2 Billion to $5 Billion a year based on a study, making it one of the most expensive tax-funded treatments.
