When my mom began having memory problems, we knew something wasn’t right. For nearly two years, we searched for answers, going from doctor to doctor before she was finally diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s disease. She was only 57 years old.

Those two years were filled with uncertainty, fear, and countless questions. Looking back, I often wonder how different our journey might have been if a simple blood test had been available to detect Alzheimer’s disease earlier.

Today, that possibility exists. Blood tests can now detect biological signs of Alzheimer’s before symptoms even appear. Earlier detection gives people the opportunity to make lifestyle changes that may delay or even prevent the onset of symptoms, access newly available treatments when they are most effective, and prepare themselves and their families for what lies ahead.

Congress has an opportunity to help make these groundbreaking tests more accessible. The bipartisan Alzheimer’s Screening and Prevention (ASAP) Act would expand access by allowing these blood tests to be covered by Medicare. The need is clear. In a recent national survey, nine out of ten voters said they would want a simple blood test to determine whether they were at risk for Alzheimer’s disease.

I am grateful to Rep. Michelle Fischbach for cosponsoring the ASAP Act. As a member of the Ways and Means Committee, she is in a unique position to help move this bipartisan legislation forward. I respectfully urge Congresswoman Fischbach to use her role on this key committee to encourage the committee to hold a hearing on the ASAP Act and help build support among her colleagues so this important legislation can advance without delay.

No family should have to spend years searching for answers the way mine did. Earlier diagnosis cannot erase an Alzheimer’s diagnosis, but it can provide something every family deserves: time. Time to seek treatment, time to make informed decisions, and time to create meaningful memories with the people they love. I hope Congress acts so that other families have opportunities that mine never had.

Sincerely,

Dana Lietzau

Gibbon