HARRISBURG – The PA House Aging and Older Adult Services Committee approved legislation that would establish an infrastructure to support dementia initiatives across PA. House Bill 2400 would create a permanent Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Disorders Office and establish a 28-member advisory committee within the PA Department of Aging, to coordinate state agencies, advocate policy, and leverage resources to better respond to the needs of those living with Alzheimer’s and other dementia. Currently, there are over 282,000 Pennsylvanians aged 65 and older living with Alzheimer’s, resulting in $3.7 billion in Medicaid costs to care for these individuals. By 2025, the number is expected to increase to 320,000 with the total Medicaid costs to care for them expected to increase by over 10%. The bill now moves to the full state House.