ARKANSAS, USA — An Arkansas legislator has introduced a bill that would mandate state health insurance plans to cover the diagnosis and treatment of Alzheimer's and other dementia-related diseases for public school and state employees.
Alzheimer's disease is the sixth leading cause of death in Arkansas, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The proposed coverage, offered through the State and Public School Life and Health Insurance Program, would take effect starting Jan. 1, 2026.
Coverage would include diagnostic testing to determine appropriate treatments, as well as prescribed treatments or medications approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration to slow or manage the disease.
When 5NEWS spoke to David Cook with the Arkansas Chapter of the Alzheimer's Association earlier this month, he said his organization had several requests ahead of the 2025 legislative session. Cook emphasized that Alzheimer's is a bipartisan issue, resonating personally with many lawmakers.
"What we are learning as we have conversations with lawmakers is that many of them feel it personally," he said. "They've either lost a family member, or they are caring for someone who has a diagnosis. And so it's it's not a red or blue issue. It is certainly bipartisan. It touches everybody, and it's one thing that we often say brings lawmakers together."
HB1055 was filed by one of the bill's sponsors, Arkansas Rep. Julie Mayberry, on Nov. 26. Bill filing began on Nov. 15 for the legislative session on Jan. 13, 2025.
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