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Read the Academy's bi-weekly update on legislative and regulatory advocacy for neurology.

February 9, 2026

State advocacy update

We’ve got your back on Capitol Hill—and we’re in overdrive advocating for you and your patients. Capitol Hill Report is your source for all things neurology advocacy, including state-level activity and a recent summit connecting advocates from across the house of medicine. Plus, we want to hear from you: Let us know if your practice, research, or patients are affected by recent policy changes.

Issue in focus

In addition to our robust federal advocacy program, the AAN is also highly active in the states. The AAN’s Advocacy Committee recently met to affirm our priorities at the state level for 2026. These priorities are scope of practice, utilization management, workforce, and defense of science and brain health.  

We’re expecting an extremely active policy environment at the state level this year, and the vast majority of the 50 US state legislatures are in session to deliberate on the passage of new legislation. While 46 states hold annual sessions, four states—Montana, Nevada, North Dakota, and Texas—typically hold biennial sessions, meaning they do not hold regular sessions in even-numbered years like 2026. Two states, Louisiana and Arkansas, have not yet convened for 2026 but will do so later in the year. 

There’s already been a lot of activity this year related to our key priorities, including bills aimed at addressing prior authorization burdens and supporting access to telehealth. The AAN is currently reviewing bills from a wide variety of states on these topics and discussing with key partner organizations how best to support these crucial reforms. We also continue to see legislation introduced in a number of states aimed at expanding scope of practice. The AAN continues to work with the American Medical Association (AMA) Scope of Practice Partnership in support of a unified voice for the house of medicine, pushing back against inappropriate expansions of scope of practice that threaten patient safety and quality of care. 

In support of our state advocacy program and to foster collaboration across the house of medicine, AAN Health Policy Subcommittee member Nuriel Moghavem, MD, recently attended the 2026 AMA State Advocacy Summit. Physicians and advocacy leaders from across the country convened at this event to discuss state-level legislation and health care policymaking. The summit featured presentations and panel discussions focused on emerging state-level policy priorities with significant implications for physicians and patients. 

A central theme of the meeting was artificial intelligence, which experts broadly agreed will be the most consequential policy issue facing states in the coming year. Discussions focused on current and proposed legislation affecting health care, particularly the use of AI in utilization management, as well as higher-level considerations around how states may eventually regulate the future practice of medicine performed by agentic AI systems.  

Other key issues included: 

• Continued efforts to expand scope of practice for nurse practitioners and physician assistants into specialty care
• State budget shortfalls following the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R.1), including direct cuts to Medicaid programs
• Rising premiums on health insurance exchanges contributing to coverage disruptions and increased rates of uninsurance
• Growing challenges to evidence-based vaccine policy amid federal policy shifts 

Dr. Moghavem brought a neurology-focused perspective to these discussions, emphasizing the impact of health coverage instability on patients with chronic neurological conditions. He also raised concerns about scope of practice expansions affecting specialty neurological care, namely the increasing involvement of chiropractors in purported neurological services.  

Our participation in the State Advocacy Summit helped ensure that the unique needs of neurology patients and practitioners were represented in broader advocacy conversations, reinforcing the importance of coordinated, state-level engagement to protect access to high-quality, physician-led care. 

Latest advocacy news

Key wins for AAN advocacy in FY26 funding package 
Fiscal Year 2026 government funding passed the House on Tuesday, February 3, ending the brief government shutdown. There were several wins for AAN advocacy in this package, including a $415 million increase to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) budget and an extension of Medicare telehealth flexibilities through the end of 2027.  

AAN submits letter outlining concerns with proposed NIH policies 
The Senate Committee on Health, ºÃÉ«ÏÈÉú, Labor and Pensions (HELP) held a hearing last week titled “Modernizing the National Institutes of Health: Faster Discoveries, More Cures” with NIH Director Dr. Jay Bhattacharya. The AAN submitted a letter to the committee in advance of the hearing to outline some of our concerns with proposed NIH policies.  

What we're reading

• Healthcare Workers Still Not Exempt From H-1B Visa Fee |
• NIH director says he hasn’t seen evidence that vaccines cause autism |
• Poll: People View Prior Authorization as Greatest Burden in Navigating the Health System |