I 

114TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 6520 

To amend the Older Americans Act of 1965 to authorize services to be 

provided to individuals with Alzheimer’s disease or a related disorder 

with neurological and organic brain dysfunction who have not attained 

60 years of age. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

DECEMBER 8, 2016 

Miss RICE of New York introduced the following bill; which was referred to 

the Committee on Education and the Workforce 

A BILL 

To amend the Older Americans Act of 1965 to authorize 

services to be provided to individuals with Alzheimer’s 

disease or a related disorder with neurological and organic brain dysfunction who have not attained 60 years 

of age. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Younger-Onset Alz5 heimer’s Disease Parity Act of 2016’’. 

6 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

7 Congress finds the following: 


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1 (1) When Alzheimer’s disease occurs in some2 one under the age of 65, it is known as younger3 onset (or early-onset) Alzheimer’s disease. 

4 (2) About 5 percent of Americans with Alz5 heimer’s disease, or approximately 250,000 people, 

6 are living with younger-onset Alzheimer’s disease. 

7 (3) Individuals with younger-onset Alzheimer’s 

8 disease primarily show symptoms of the disease be9 ginning in their 50s, but some show signs of the dis10 ease as early as their 30s or 40s. 

11 (4) For most individuals with younger-onset 

12 Alzheimer’s disease, the symptoms will closely mirror 

13 those of other forms of Alzheimer’s disease. 

14 (5) Those with younger-onset Alzheimer’s dis15 ease may have difficulty obtaining an accurate diag16 nosis because health care providers don’t generally 

17 look for Alzheimer’s disease in younger people. 

18 Symptoms are often incorrectly attributed to stress, 

19 or there may be conflicting diagnoses from different 

20 health care professionals. 

21 (6) Those with younger-onset Alzheimer’s dis22 ease may worry about work, retirement, and finan23 cial issues. Their condition may lead them to volun24 tarily quit their job, or their employers may fire 

25 them before a diagnosis. This premature loss of 


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1 work does not trigger the employment disability ac2 commodations that a diagnosed individual would re3 ceive. 

4 (7) Those with younger-onset Alzheimer’s dis5 ease will suffer from higher levels of stigma because 

6 Alzheimer’s disease is more often associated with 

7 older adults. This often adversely impacts family, 

8 personal, and professional relationships. 

9 (8) Those with younger-onset Alzheimer’s are 

10 often supporting young children who are living in 

11 the home. Many times these children also serve as 

12 caregivers. 

13 (9) Those with younger-onset Alzheimer’s dis14 ease may have a working spouse who has to decide 

15 between continuing to work to support the household 

16 or leaving the working world to be the primary care17 giver of their loved one living with Alzheimer’s dis18 ease. 

19 (10) The Older Americans Act of 1965, enacted 

20 in 1965, authorizes the provision of essential serv21 ices to Americans age 60 or over, with particular at22 tention given to those individuals with low incomes 

23 or disabilities. 

24 (11) Services provided under the Act include 

25 Alzheimer’s disease education, meal delivery, family 


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1 caregiver support, and supportive services such as 

2 home care, adult day care, and transportation. 

3 (12) These services are particularly helpful for 

4 those with a degenerative disease such as Alz5 heimer’s in which sufferers ultimately require assist6 ance with basic daily tasks. 

7 (13) These services also provide vital assistance, 

8 support, and respite to family caregivers and help to 

9 maintain the independence of the individual living 

10 with younger-onset Alzheimer’s disease. 

11 (14) The Older Americans Act 1965 uniquely 

12 authorizes services that can assist individuals with 

13 younger-onset Alzheimer’s disease and their families. 

14 SEC. 3. PARITY FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH YOUNGER-ONSET 

15 ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE. 

16 Section 102(40) of the Older Americans Act of 1965 

17 (42 U.S.C. 3002(40)) is amended by inserting before the 

18 period at the end the following: 

19 ‘‘and includes an individual with Alzheimer’s disease 

20 or a related disorder with neurological and organic 

21 brain dysfunction who has not attained 60 years of 

22 age’’. 

Æ 


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