capitol hill report: NEUROLOGY ON THE HILL ISSUE PREVIEW
February 12, 2024
Issue in Focus
On February 26, AAN members will arrive in Washington, DC, for the 2024 Neurology on the Hill to meet with lawmakers and educate them about the critical role of neurologists in health care and the need for reform. This year’s priority issues include:
Remedy the nearly 3.4% cut to the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule conversion factor. Urge the Senate to co-sponsor The Strengthening Medicare for Patients and Providers Act, H.R. 2474, to help ensure physician practices can keep up with inflation. Permanently fixing the broken Medicare system will greatly improve patient access to care and reduce physician team burnout due to administrative burden.
Address overly burdensome insurance mandates by asking Congress to support The Safe Step Act (S. 652/H.R. 2630) which addresses the growing burden of step therapy protocols in employer-sponsored health plans. These reforms are needed to ensure patient access to care and maintaining the physician-patient relationship.
Support medical research by maintaining robust funding for NINDS (the National Institutes of Neurological Disorders and Stroke) in FY 25 and provide full funding for the BRAIN Initiative to sustain both programs' momentum. NINDS and the BRAIN initiative are fundamental to understanding the brain and developing life-saving therapies for neurologic diseases.
If you want to add to the voice of your colleagues in Washington, DC, be sure to visit the AAN Advocacy Action Center to write your member of Congress today.
Latest Advocacy News
AAN Submits Comments on Framework for March-in Rights
On January 29, 2024, the AAN submitted comments in response to a Request for Information on a draft framework for march-in rights, which allows the government to require a patent holder to license an invention if the invention is a product of public and private funding under certain circumstances. According to the framework, one condition that can trigger march-in rights is a prohibitively high price. The response primarily focuses on the positive impact march-in rights can have on patient access to pharmaceuticals if used judiciously, the potential negative impact on future neurologic disease treatment research, and aspects of the framework that require further clarification from the agency.
AAN Updates Position Statement on Prescription Drug Prices
The AAN has issued an updated position statement on prescription drug prices, stating that action must be taken to ensure that effective prescription medications are accessible for patients with complex, chronic neurologic conditions. Potential solutions should be affordable, simple, and transparent. Cost-containment efforts must also address the burden on the entire health care system as high prescription drug prices may be shifted and absorbed in ways that negatively impact patient and prescriber access to important medications.
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