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RESEARCH APPROPRIATIONS, TELEHEALTH POLICIES, OPEN PAYMENTS, AND NEW STAFF

April 26, 2021

Federal Appropriations Process Moves Forward

The Biden administration recently released an overview of the president’s budget request for fiscal year 2022, which is one of the first steps in the annual federal appropriations process. This process occurs every year to determine how Congress allocates federal dollars, and the AAN always plays an active role in advocating for neurology funding requests.

This year, the president is requesting $51 billion for the National Institutes of Health, a $9 billion increase from 2021. The increase includes $6.5 billion to create a new agency, the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H). This agency would have an initial focus on cancer and other diseases such as diabetes and Alzheimer’s and would drive transformational innovation in health research and speed application and implementation of health breakthroughs.

The president’s budget is one of the first steps in a lengthy appropriations process that is ultimately determined by Congress before the start of the new fiscal year on October 1. The AAN is currently advocating for Congress to prioritize the following:

  • $46.11 billion for the National Institutes of Health 
  • $560 million for the BRAIN Initiative 
  • $500 million for the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality  
  • $902 million for the VA Medical and Prosthetic Research Program 
  • Increased investment to maintain and expand neurology Centers of Excellence for Veterans  

The AAN also understands the impact of COVID-19 on neurology research and is urging Congress to pass the Research Investment to Spark the Economy (RISE) Act (H.R. 869/S. 289). The RISE Act authorizes approximately $25 billion in emergency relief appropriations for federal science agencies, including the National Institutes of Health.

Read the AAN’s latest letter to Congress on federal funding.

State Policy Changes Impacting Telehealth

The AAN continues to monitor changes in state policy affecting the practice of telehealth, including reimbursement and medical licensure. Refer to the following resources for information on your state and email any questions to advocacy@aan.com.

Open Payments Pre-publication Review and Dispute Period

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has made Open Payments data available for pre-publication review and dispute. Physicians and teaching hospitals have until May 15, 2021, to review the Open Payments data. CMS will publish the 2020 Open Payments data in June 2021. You can learn more about Open Payments and how to review attributed data before it published at the CMS Open Payments website. You can also learn more about this from a recent CMS presentation the topic.

Any dispute must be initiated prior to May 15, 2021. Physicians and teaching facilities that wish to initiate a dispute must work directly with the reporting entity to resolve the discrepancy. CMS does not mediate disputes for the Open Payments program.

Open Payments is a national disclosure program that promotes transparency and accountability by making information about the financial relationships between applicable manufacturers and group purchasing organizations and physicians and teaching hospitals available to the public. If you need help or have questions, contact the Open Payments Help Desk at openpayments@cms.hhs.gov.

Academy’s Washington, D.C., Office Welcomes Fred Essis

The Academy welcomes its new Congressional Affairs Manager, Fred Essis, who joined the Academy in April. Fred has over five years of PAC, political, and campaign experience. In his previous role with the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, he helped create a $4 million political action committee. In 2019, Fred was awarded the Public Affairs Council National Outstanding Association PAC Award. Throughout his career, he worked alongside candidates, members, and fundraisers, delivering extensive policy proposals and developing strong communication strategies for persuasive advocacy. His background prior to joining the medical academy community includes numerous political campaigns at the state and federal level, national party committee work, and a short time on Capitol Hill. Fred completed his MBA from American University in 2020. He received his MA in political science in 2017, as well as his BA in both political science and communications in 2016 from Villanova University.