First Responders Advocate for Dementia Coverage in 9/11 Health Program

Why it matters locally: The push for dementia coverage in the World Trade Center Health Program could affect Ohio residents who were first responders at the 9/11 attacks and may be eligible for program benefits.

First responders to the September 11, 2001, attacks are advocating for the inclusion of dementia in the World Trade Center Health Program. This effort comes as some responders, 25 years after the attacks, receive dementia diagnoses. Tom Llamas of NBC News reported on this developing health issue as part of a series titled “The Cost of Denial.” Investigators are exploring a potential connection between the responders’ dementia diagnoses and their exposure to toxins present at Ground Zero. The World Trade Center Health Program does not currently list dementia among the conditions it covers for eligible individuals.