ºÃÉ«ÏÈÉú

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

April 20, 2026

Protecting neuroscience research in FY2027

We’ve got your back on Capitol Hill—and we’re in overdrive advocating for you and your patients. BrainPAC, the only federal political action committee dedicated solely to neurology, will be at the Annual Meeting to share how it drives change for members and their patients. We hope to see you in Chicago! 

Issue in focus

Earlier this month, the Trump administration released its proposed budget for fiscal year 2027 (FY2027), outlining its priorities for federal spending. This year’s proposal again signals reductions to research programs critical to patients with neurological conditions, though not to the same extent as last year. Importantly, this proposal is only a starting point—Congress ultimately determines funding levels through the annual appropriations process.

Notably, last year, despite proposals that would have imposed devastating cuts and destabilizing structural changes, Congress increased funding for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and rejected efforts to reorganize its institutes, thanks in part to strong, coordinated advocacy from the AAN and the broader neuroscience community.

This year’s proposal once again calls for reduced NIH funding—by roughly $6 billion, or 12 percent—which would significantly undermine progress toward developing treatments and cures, weaken the United States’ already narrowing global leadership in biomedical research, and limit opportunities for the next generation of scientists to pursue groundbreaking discoveries.

At the same time, FY2027 presents an additional and urgent challenge: the expiration of dedicated funding for the BRAIN Initiative. Without congressional action, this groundbreaking program will face a significant funding cliff just as it is delivering transformative advances in brain science.

In response, the AAN is urging Congress to once again prioritize sustained and robust investment in neuroscience research. Specifically, the AAN is calling for:

• $468 million in base funding for the BRAIN Initiative to offset the loss of mandatory funding and ensure continued progress
• An 8.7% increase for NINDS, bringing total funding to $3.04 billion, to maintain the pace of discovery and support the full pipeline of basic, translational, and clinical research
• Protection of NIH research funding policies, including rejecting proposals that would cap indirect costs and otherwise restrict the number and scope of grants awarded by funding upfront

The AAN is advancing a strategic, multi-pronged advocacy effort to secure robust neuroscience research funding by engaging congressional appropriators, mobilizing grassroots efforts, and working in coalition with partners like the American Brain Coalition and the Society for Neuroscience. As the appropriations process moves forward in both the House and Senate, sustained advocacy will be critical to ensure policymakers understand that weakening investment in neuroscience research will have real consequences for patients, for innovation, and for the United States’ global leadership. As Congress develops FY2027 funding legislation, the AAN remains committed to ensuring that neuroscience research receives the robust support needed to drive the next generation of breakthroughs in brain health.

Latest advocacy news

Proposed Medicare rule aims to reduce prior authorization burden
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released a proposed rule this month aimed at reducing the burden of prior authorizations for drugs. This proposed rule was released following a multi-year advocacy effort from the AAN and partner organizations urging CMS to extend crucial protections against prior authorizations to drugs. This rule proposes to mandate the inclusion of drugs in electronic prior authorization capabilities, implements standards regarding prior authorization decision timeframes for drugs, and requires payers to include a specific denial reason in response to prior authorization requests for all drugs.

AAN reviewing botulinum toxin coverage policy updates
Earlier this month, several Medicare Administrative Contractors issued proposed updates to coverage policies for botulinum toxin injections. This comes following the finalization of new coding and coverage policies for these injections earlier in the year. The AAN is reviewing the proposed updates and will provide comments regarding the proposed changes and relay concerns pertaining to changes that were finalized earlier this year that are detrimentally impacting patient access and practice sustainability.

Medical associations ask for physicians, trainees to be exempted from visa freeze
The AAN recently joined 23 medical associations in urging the Department of Homeland Security and the State Department to establish a medical national interest exemption to an ongoing adjudication freeze impacting visa processing for nationals of 39 countries. The letter called for an exemption to the pause for physicians and trainees, expedited processing for impacted physician and trainee cases, and improved transparency and communication on case statuses, anticipated timelines, and any additional steps needed to resolve pending applications. 

Reintroduced House bill would update Medicare reimbursements
Representative Greg Murphy (R-NC) reintroduced the , a bill that would update the underlying mechanics of the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS) to improve stability for physicians and their patients. This bill addresses a longstanding AAN priority to improve the Medicare payment system.

What we're reading

• Physician compensation up 3% in 2025, but not all specialties saw raises: Medscape () 
• States’ efforts to rein in PBMs hit a legal roadblock ()
• Why Many Americans Are Turning to AI for Health Advice, According to Recent Polls ()