Capitol Hill Report: House passes reconciliation bill
May 27, 2025
We want to make sure you know we have your back. We’re actively responding, relentlessly pushing forward, and ensuring your voice is heard loud and clear on Capitol Hill. Please keep reading Capitol Hill Report—and tell your colleagues—for a rundown of how your AAN is in overdrive advocating on your behalf. We’re analyzing and monitoring all changes made by Congress and the administration to evaluate any impacts on neurology and the patients we serve. If your practice, research, or patients have been impacted by recent changes at the federal or state level, please let us know by emailing advocacy@aan.com.
Issue in focus
The House of Representatives last week passed its version of the reconciliation package, the , sending it to the Senate for consideration.
Last election, Republicans won unified control of Congress and the presidency, making the budget reconciliation process central to their platform. Reconciliation is a special budget law procedure allowing one expedited “reconciliation” bill that only includes direct budgetary effects per fiscal year. This bill can pass the Senate with a simple majority rather than the usual 60-vote filibuster threshold.
The package negotiated in the House includes a number of health care provisions:
- An update to the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule conversion factor
- Changes to Medicaid, including expanded eligibility determinations, work requirements, additional cost-sharing requirements, and a new incentive for non-expansion states
- Borrowing caps on federal student loans for undergraduate, graduate, and professional programs
- Limits on eligibility for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program
- Tax law deductions that prevent small businesses from deducting state income tax payments from their federal returns
- Changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
The Senate will likely make numerous changes to the package before sending its version back to the House. The AAN is closely monitoring developments as negotiations progress and will continue to advocate in support of sustainable reimbursement for neurology providers and robust patient access to neurological care across the country.
Interested in receiving more robust updates on AAN advocacy efforts? Join the Political Outreach for Neurological Support (PONS) network for additional updates on the reconciliation package and more opportunities to get involved.
Latest advocacy news
Request for information issued on digital health ecosystem
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services issued a request for information (RFI) this month aimed at modernizing the digital health ecosystem. Specific areas of focus include reducing administrative burden and improving electronic health record interoperability. The AAN is currently reviewing the RFI and plans to submit comments.
Pricing targets set for pharmaceutical manufacturers
The Department of Health and Human Services announced last week that it set pricing targets for pharmaceutical manufacturers to comply with President Trump’s recent executive order to deliver “most favored nation” prescription drug pricing for Americans. The AAN is closely monitoring implementation of this order for its impact on both patient access to medication and on sustainability of neurological practice.
Congress reintroduces prior authorization reform legislation
US Senators Roger Marshall, MD (R-KS), and Mark Warner (D-VA), and US Representatives Mike Kelly (R-PA), Suzan DelBene (D-WA), Ami Bera, MD (D-CA), and John Joyce, MD (R-PA), officially reintroduced S.1816/H.R. 3514, the . The bill has already received endorsement from over 140 organizations, in addition to support from 47 senators and 73 House members. Urge your legislators to cosponsor this important legislation.
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