Oregon State Alzheimer’s Plan Overview
The State Plan for Alzheimer’s Disease in Oregon (SPADO) Task Force was formed in 2010, coordinated by the Alzheimer’s Association Oregon Chapter. The Task Force included state government agencies, academic researchers, health care providers, family caregivers, state legislators and nonprofit organizations. Charged with drafting recommendations to address the most critical needs of Oregonians impacted by Alzheimer's disease and other dementia, the Task Force gathered public input to inform the proposed recommendations. The State Plan for Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias in Oregon was published in July 2012 and signed by Governor John Kitzhaber. In March 2013, the Oregon legislature endorsed SPADO by unanimously supporting Senate Concurrent Resolution 1. The SPADO Steering Committee works with public and private sector stakeholders to improve the state's response to community needs associated with Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias and implement the recommendations provided in the state plan.
Oregon 2024 Policy Priorities
Ensure Equitable Access to Diagnosis and Care Planning
Early intervention can provide individuals living with dementia more time to plan for the future, adopt lifestyle changes, participate in clinical trials, and to live more fully with a higher quality of life for as long as possible. Medicare beneficiaries in Oregon have access to a billing code that covers cognitive assessments and care planning, however, individuals under the age of 65 on Medicaid do not have access to this critical service. With current promising treatments only effective in the early stages of the disease, getting an early diagnosis is more important than ever. The Alzheimer’s Association is calling on state lawmakers to establish a Medicaid billing code which would reimburse health care providers when providing cognitive assessments and care planning.
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Find My Chapter
Together, we’re making an impact. Find an Alzheimer’s Association chapter in your community for more ways to engage.
79,100
people living with Alzheimer’s in Oregon
170,000
Oregonians are providing unpaid care
$253 Million
Medicaid cost of caring for people living with Alzheimer’s (2020)
2,047
deaths from Alzheimer’s in 2021
17%
in hospice with a primary diagnosis of dementia
236.2%
increase of geriatricians in Oregon needed to meet the demand in 2050
Resources to Drive Change in Oregon
The following resources developed by AIM and the Alzheimer’s Association will help you learn more about the issues impacting people living with Alzheimer’s and their caregivers, how Oregon policymakers are addressing these gaps, and how you can help drive change.