Kansas Republican U.S. Senator Jerry Moran announced Thursday, Dec. 22 a $5 million federal investment would be going to help the University of Kansas Health System for the purchase of MRI and PET technology in assisting treatment and research for Alzheimer’s disease.

Moran is a member of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services and Education. He secured the funding in the fiscal year 2023 appropriations package.

“Alzheimer’s disease affects thousands of Kansans, and it’s important to have the resources to diagnose and treat patients close to home,” he said. “This investment will provide The University of Kansas Health System with updated equipment to help families navigate and treat this terrible disease.”

Jeff Burns, MD, co-director of the University of Kansas Alzheimer’s Disease Center, said the funding will be incredibly impactful at just the right time.

“The field is changing fast with new diagnostics and drugs ready for patients in the very near future,” he said. “This new equipment will help us prepare for a new era in brain health.”

The Kansas Alzheimer’s Disease Task Force website states the disease is the sixth leading cause of death for Kansans. 54,000 Kansans 65 years and above live with Alzheimer’s and it is expected to increase to 62,000 people by 2025.

In 2019, Kansas spent $441 million in Medicaid on individuals with Alzheimer’s and it is expected to increase 21.7 percent by 2025. The Alzheimer’s Disease Task Force was established in May 2019 by Governor Laura Kelly.