This bill amends Medicare to require standardized cognitive impairment detection during the annual wellness visit and the initial preventive physical examination starting in 2026.
Linda Sánchez
Representative
CA-38
This bill amends Medicare to require cognitive impairment screening during the Annual Wellness Visit and the Initial Preventive Physical Examination. It mandates the use of specific, approved screening tools to detect potential issues like Alzheimer's disease early. The goal is to ensure timely diagnosis, allowing patients and caregivers to access necessary planning and support services sooner.
Medicare Mandates Cognitive Screening by 2026: What This Means for Annual Check-ups
This legislation aims to tackle the growing public health crisis of Alzheimer’s disease by mandating standardized cognitive impairment detection during routine Medicare visits. Starting January 1, 2026, when seniors go in for their annual wellness visit or their initial preventive physical exam, their doctor will be required to screen them for signs of cognitive decline. This isn’t a suggestion; it’s a requirement written into the Social Security Act (SEC. 2).
The Check-Up Just Got Smarter
For years, the medical community has stressed that early detection is crucial for managing conditions like Alzheimer’s, allowing patients and caregivers to plan, access support, and potentially enroll in clinical trials sooner. Currently, screening can be hit or miss. This bill fixes that by standardizing the process. Doctors won't be able to use just any old memory test; they must use a screening tool specifically approved by the National Institute on Aging (NIA) for use in primary care settings (SEC. 2). This ensures consistency and quality control across the board, moving away from subjective assessments toward evidence-based tools.
Why This Matters for Families and Finances
If you have a parent or grandparent on Medicare, this change is a big deal. The bill’s findings highlight that Alzheimer’s is not only the fifth leading cause of death for those 65 and older but also carries a massive financial burden—estimated at $360 billion in 2024 alone, with families covering about a quarter of that cost out-of-pocket. By catching cognitive impairment earlier, the hope is to connect people with resources that could help manage modifiable risk factors (like high blood pressure or diabetes) that might delay or prevent up to 40% of dementia cases. Early diagnosis means earlier intervention, which could potentially save families significant stress and money down the line.
The Provider’s Perspective
For doctors and clinics that serve Medicare patients, this means adding a new mandatory step to two of their most common preventive services. They will have to integrate the NIA-approved screening tools into their workflow and, crucially, document both the specific tool used and the results in the patient’s medical file (SEC. 2). While this is a positive step for patient care, it does represent an increased administrative and time burden for providers starting in 2026. The bill is silent on whether Medicare will adjust reimbursement rates to account for the extra time required for this standardized screening and documentation, which could mean clinics absorb the cost of this beneficial new requirement.