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

Why it matters locally: Many New Jersey residents, particularly those who served as first responders or lived in proximity to New York City, were directly impacted by the 9/11 attacks and may be eligible for the World Trade Center Health Program, making the potential inclusion of dementia coverage a significant concern for them and their families.

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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.