A New Bill Could Make Alzheimer's Testing More Accessible. One Man Says Early Detection Changed His Life.

For Dave Stephens, the warning signs didn't feel like a crisis at first. The moments he was forgetting, though, weren't small ones.

"Forgetting where my keys are, to me those are aging things," Stephens said, "but the things I was forgetting were significant, that had an impact on people."

He got tested, and in October 2024 received a diagnosis of early-stage Alzheimer's. But because it was caught early, he had options. He now receives treatment once a month and has made significant lifestyle changes to slow the disease's progression. Knowing, he says, was the biggest advantage of all.

"Not everyone who has Alzheimer's is like the people in the commercials and the movies," Stephens said. "Some people actually live with this somewhat successfully."

That kind of early access could soon reach more people. The Alzheimer's Screening and Prevention Act, known as the ASAP Act, would require Medicare and Medicaid to cover the cost of blood biomarker tests used to detect Alzheimer's early. Karen Garner of the Alzheimer's Association says the bill could be a turning point, comparing it to when Congress expanded coverage for routine mammograms.

The need is real. Fewer than 10% of people living with mild cognitive impairment receive a diagnosis early enough to benefit from current treatments, most of which depend on catching the disease in its early stages.

The ASAP Act has bipartisan support, including backing from Senator Mark Warner and lawmakers across the country. Stephens says the urgency is clear.

"Alzheimer's, you would consider to be a sense of urgency," he said. "We should move quickly to maybe take advantage of what is out there today."

His message to others who may be noticing changes: don't wait.