With the midterm mere months away, a new national poll shows that 78% of senior voters are more likely to support candidates who will expand access to Alzheimer’s treatments.

The poll found that 88% of senior voters believe Alzheimer’s is a serious problem, and 87% say fighting the disease should be a national priority.

Today, over 7 million seniors — that’s 1 in 9 — live with clinical Alzheimer’s. 54% of senior voters say their family or friends have been affected by Alzheimer’s.

Thankfully, innovative FDA-cleared blood tests can detect Alzheimer’s earlier than ever, and new FDA-approved therapies can slow the progression of the disease.

Sadly, coverage has not kept pace with innovation. Too often, government bureaucrats and insurance middlemen block Americans from accessing the newest tests and treatments for Alzheimer’s.

Medicare makes seniors and their caregivers jump through hoops to access doctor-prescribed treatments. Private insurers, who typically follow Medicare’s lead, often impose their own coverage restrictions.

Senior voters are fed up. This new survey shows that they particularly support ending insurance delays, trusting doctors — not insurance companies or Medicare — to make care decisions, and ensuring that patients do not have to pay out of pocket to access FDA-cleared Alzheimer’s tests and FDA-approved treatments.

Ensuring access to these treatments makes moral and financial sense. 91% of seniors agree that being able to detect and diagnose Alzheimer’s early and get treatment that can slow the progression of the disease will save families both emotionally and financially.

With the midterms approaching, it’s time for lawmakers and candidates to listen to seniors and eliminate Medicare and private insurance coverage barriers to Alzheimer’s care. Making this issue a national priority gives candidates a powerful way to show they are fighting for seniors.