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Committee greenlights $300,000 dementia telemonitoring pilot to improve early diagnosis
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Summary
HB2202, sponsored by Rep. Selena Bliss, would appropriate $300,000 for a DHS grant to implement a dementia care telemonitoring and telementoring program statewide; clinicians and the Alzheimer's Association testified that tele-mentoring could expand specialist support for primary care and improve early diagnosis.
The Appropriations Committee returned HB2202 with a due-pass recommendation (vote: 15 yes, 2 no, 1 not voting). The bill would appropriate $300,000 from the state general fund for FY2027 through FY2029 to the Department of Health Services to implement a dementia care telemonitoring and telementoring program. Sponsor Rep. Selena Bliss said early and accurate diagnosis creates opportunities for new treatments and better planning for families; physicians and the Alzheimer's Association urged the committee to fund the pilot to connect primary-care clinicians with specialists and improve rural access.
Dr. Erica Grabinski, an internal medicine physician, said primary-care clinicians are often first to notice cognitive decline but lack specialty access, especially in rural areas. The Alzheimer’s Association described a Washington state telementoring model that engaged hundreds of providers and yielded measurable confidence and knowledge gains among participants.
The committee advanced the bill and the sponsor said the appropriation will create a program to be implemented by DHS with reporting requirements to the Legislature.
