Poll Shows Alzheimer’s Could Become a 2026 Swing Issue – Inside Sources

Health care is always a hot political issue, one that has historically favored Democrats. But new developments in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease, and government support for those innovations, could give candidates from both parties an issue to connect with the country’s most active voting bloc — older Americans.

A new national survey suggests that Alzheimer’s disease may be emerging as a significant health care issue for voters heading into the 2026 midterm elections, with large majorities saying candidates should talk more about Alzheimer’s disease and support policies that expand access to early diagnosis and treatment.

The survey, conducted for The Market Institute, found that 87% of voters believe fighting Alzheimer’s should be a national priority, with 79% saying they are more likely to support a candidate who prioritizes improving access to early detection, diagnosis and treatment of Alzheimer’s. These views extended across party lines and included 78% of independent voters.

“Voters have no patience for government bureaucrats and insurance companies repeatedly delaying, denying, or complicating access to FDA-approved tools that detect Alzheimer’s early, when it’s most treatable,” said Charles Sauer, founder and president of The Market Institute. “Candidates can position themselves for success this November by supporting reforms that end Alzheimer’s coverage restrictions, let doctors and patients make testing and treatment decisions, and give patients more time and autonomy.”

The survey findings come as Alzheimer’s disease affects a growing number of Americans. According to the Alzheimer’s Association, an estimated 7.2 million Americans age 65 and older are living with Alzheimer’s disease, a figure projected to nearly double to 13.8 million by 2060.

Given that older Americans are the group most likely to vote — 74% of voters age 65 and older cast a ballot in the 2024 presidential election, according to the Census Bureau — political pros agree Alzheimer’s policy should be front and center with candidates.

Dave Carney, a veteran GOP consultant who has worked on campaigns from George H.W. Bush to Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, says Alzheimer’s is a kitchen-table issue for many voters.

“This is an illness that, unfortunately, affects every American through family connections or friends and neighbors,” said Carney. “It’s one reason why Texans voted last year to establish a $3 billion fund to study this horrific disease. Alzheimer’s is a bipartisan plague, and it deserves a bipartisan effort to combat it and to allow folks access to treatments. Voters would rather spend money on this than waste money on studying the effects of cocaine on salmon.”

According to Democratic strategist Joel Payne, “It should be no surprise that voters believe combating Alzheimer’s disease should be a national priority, which is why Trump and Republicans cutting billions in health care and long-term care to support seniors is such a mystery.”

The survey sampled 1,000 registered voters nationally, as well as 500 voters each in the likely 2028 swing states of Florida, North Carolina, Ohio and Pennsylvania.

In interviews conducted as part of the research, respondents expressed frustration that the disease remains largely absent from political campaigns despite its impact on American families.

The survey findings arrive amid a growing debate over access to new Alzheimer’s diagnostic tools and treatments. Advances in blood-based testing and the approval of drugs designed to slow cognitive decline in some patients have generated optimism among researchers and patient advocates. But questions about insurance coverage, costs and eligibility requirements have sparked disputes among policymakers, insurers and Alzheimer’s advocacy groups.

Eighty-nine percent of respondents said they believe coverage restrictions and delays by Medicare and private insurers prevent patients from receiving FDA-approved treatments. A similar percentage said they worry that physicians may be reluctant to prescribe approved tests or treatments if patients are unlikely to receive insurance coverage.

This debate has grown more heated since the introduction of anti-amyloid therapies such as Leqembi, one of the first drugs shown to modestly slow cognitive decline in patients with early Alzheimer’s disease. Following the drug’s approval by the Food and Drug Administration in 2023, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services covered the treatment. However, the FDA required patients to participate in a registry or evidence-gathering program to monitor outcomes.

Advocates for broader access argue that such requirements create significant barriers for patients, particularly in rural areas and other communities with limited specialist care. Delays in diagnosis and treatment, they say, may reduce the potential benefits of therapies that appear most effective when administered in the earliest stages of the disease.

Medicare officials maintain that requiring participation in an evidence-collection program helps ensure patient safety while generating data about how new therapies perform in the real world.

Ninety-two percent of the Market Institute survey respondents said they support the Alzheimer’s Screening and Prevention Act, known as the ASAP Act, which would allow Medicare to cover future FDA-cleared blood tests used to screen for Alzheimer’s disease. The ASAP Act was introduced in November with bipartisan support and is currently in committee.

Blood-based diagnostic tests may offer a less expensive and more accessible alternative to PET scans and spinal fluid tests currently used to help identify Alzheimer’s-related changes in the brain. Researchers and advocacy organizations say wider availability of these tests could improve early detection and treatment planning.

The survey also found that 87% of voters believe earlier diagnosis and treatment could ultimately save insurers and taxpayers money. Dementia imposes annual costs of approximately $781 billion on the United States, according to researchers at the University of Southern California. Medicare alone accounts for roughly $106 billion of those costs annually.

With more than 7 million older Americans currently living with Alzheimer’s and public concern running high, the survey suggests that access to diagnosis and treatment will be a prominent topic in the months ahead. Smart candidates, it seems, will look to lead those conversations.