National Grange Presents Rural Health Champion Awards to Bipartisan Congressional Leaders for Alzheimer’s Policy Leadership

The National Grange is proud to present its Rural Health Champion Award to members of Congress who have demonstrated leadership in addressing them unique healthcare challenges facing rural communities. This year's honorees have worked to promote brain health and expand access to innovative Alzheimer’s diagnostics in rural communities.

“Alzheimer's has touched families in every corner of rural America, and for too long those families have been left to face it with fewer resources, fewer specialists, and fewer options,” said Christine Hamp, President of the National Grange. “Geography should never determine whether someone receives a diagnosis in time to benefit from treatment – and right now, for too many rural Americans, it does. We are grateful to these champions for advocating for rural communities.”

This year’s honorees are:

• Rep. Vern Buchanan (R-FL-16)

• Rep. Paul Tonko (D-NY-20)

• Rep. Richard Hudson (R-NC-09)

• Rep. John Joyce, M.D. (R-PA-13)

• Rep. Jennifer McClellan (D-VA-04)

• Rep. Mike Thompson (D-CA-04)

• Rep. Jason Smith (R-MO-08)
  

L to R: National Grange Government Affairs Director, Burton Eller, Legislative Assistant Leigh Ann Fairly for Congressman Hudson (R-NC-09), National Grange President, Christine Hamp, Duane Hamp

The National Grange recently released a report, Leveraging Innovation to Improve Alzheimer’s Diagnosis and Care in Rural America, which examines how rural Americans face a disproportionate and growing burden from Alzheimer's disease – driven by structural barriers that delay diagnosis, limit access to emerging therapies, and impose staggering costs on patients, caregivers, and rural health systems.

The report recommends practical policy solutions that lawmakers implement, including passing the bipartisan Alzheimer’s Screening and Prevention (ASAP) Act – led by Reps. Buchanan (R-FL) and Tonko (D-NY) – which would create a clear pathway for Medicare coverage of FDA-cleared blood tests for Alzheimer's screening. Earlier detection can help individuals and families plan for the future, connect with care and support services, consider available treatment options, participate in clinical trials, and pursue strategies to reduce their risk. The National Grange is proud to recognize lawmakers who have championed this legislation and the broader policy agenda needed to bring rural communities fully into the future of Alzheimer's care.

The tools to change outcomes for rural Alzheimer's patients are within reach. The National Grange is proud to stand alongside the members of Congress who are working to ensure that no rural family is left behind.