The recent anniversary of former President Ronald Reagan‘s birth was a time for reflection, not just on his enduring legacy as a leader who championed freedom and optimism, but on the personal battle that defined his final years: Alzheimer‘s disease.
Reagan’s diagnosis in 1994 and his courageous farewell letter to the American people brought national attention to this devastating illness. Yet, more than two decades later, Alzheimer’s remains a shadow over millions of families, joined by other neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson’s, which rob individuals of their independence and dignity. With the Trump Administration’s renewed focus on “Making America Healthy Again,” now is the moment to call for enhanced federal efforts.
This isn’t just Reagan’s story; it’s America’s. Alzheimer’s affects an estimated 7.2 million Americans over 65 today, with projections soaring to nearly 14 million by 2060. The annual cost to the U.S. economy already exceeds $384 billion in health and long-term care, ballooning to over $1 trillion by mid-century if unchecked.
Parkinson’s, the second most common neurodegenerative disease, impacts about 1.1 million Americans, with nearly 90,000 new diagnoses each year. By 2030, that number could reach 1.2 million domestically, while global cases are forecasted to exceed 25 million by 2050. The economic toll of Parkinson’s alone is staggering, which is around $52 billion annually, including treatment, lost wages, and caregiving, projected to surpass $79 billion by 2037. Add in other conditions like ALS and Huntington’s disease, which together afflict hundreds of thousands more, and the collective burden on families, healthcare systems, and taxpayers becomes unsustainable.
For years, our approach has been reactive: pouring billions into late-stage care through Medicare and Medicaid while bureaucratic hurdles and outdated policies stifle innovation. The Biden administration’s restrictions on coverage for people with Alzheimer’s disease delayed access to breakthroughs that slow progression. But early detection isn’t just compassionate — it’s conservative. It aligns perfectly with the MAHA agenda championed by President Donald Trump and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.: pro-family, pro-freedom, and fiscally responsible. By empowering individuals with tools to identify risks early, we reduce long-term costs, preserve personal autonomy, and strengthen families against the heartbreak of watching loved ones fade away.
Gold-standard science backs this up. For Alzheimer’s, lifestyle interventions like the MIND diet (emphasizing berries, greens, nuts, and fish while cutting sugars), regular exercise, cognitive training, and social engagement, validated by trials like U.S. POINTER, can slow cognitive decline in at-risk adults. Blood-based biomarker tests for symptomatic patients, cleared by the Food and Drug Administration last year, detect pathology before symptoms worsen, allowing for timely action. Similar advances are emerging for Parkinson’s, where early biomarkers and lifestyle factors like aerobic exercise and a Mediterranean diet show promise in mitigating progression.
Polls reveal overwhelming support: 80% of Americans want to know their Alzheimer’s risk pre-symptoms, and 90% of swing voters back Medicare covering early detection blood tests — a bipartisan consensus that transcends politics.
The Trump administration has already taken steps forward, establishing the MAHA Commission in February 2025 to investigate chronic disease roots, prioritize gold-standard research, and promote transparency. The National Plan to End Parkinson’s, signed into law in 2024 and advancing under this administration, aims to prevent, treat, and cure the disease while addressing overlaps with dementias.
To truly honor the millions impacted by Alzheimer’s, like Reagan and other icons such as Charlton Heston and Pat Summitt, the administration must go further. First, by championing the bipartisan Alzheimer’s Screening and Prevention Act. This bill would create a pathway for Medicare to cover FDA-approved blood-based tests for early dementia detection, breaking down barriers without mandates — empowering personal choice and responsibility.
Second, by expanding MAHA’s scope to a comprehensive strategy for all neurodegenerative diseases by creating Operation Warp Speed-style initiatives for Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, and integrating prevention into federal programs. This could include incentives for lifestyle interventions, open-source data on environmental risks, and streamlined coverage access to FDA-approved treatments that slow progression.
HOW HOLLYWOOD CAN COMBAT RUSSIAN INFLUENCE IN AFRICA
Imagine a Golden Age of brain health: families detecting risks early, implementing changes that add years of vitality, and reducing the $780 billion annual spend on Alzheimer’s care alone. This is a legacy-making opportunity — politically savvy and profoundly humane.
Remembrance alone won’t suffice. Action will. Our families, and Reagan’s memory, deserve no less.
David Mansdoerfer was the former deputy assistant secretary for health during the first Trump administration.
