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December 12, 2025

An unprecedented number of AAN members advocated for their field and their patients in 2025. Here’s a quick summary of advocacy highlights.  

AAN members leading in advocacy

Neurology on the Hill

The AAN’s annual fly-in drew nearly 200 neurologists to Washington, DC, where they met with US members of Congress and their staff to discuss three pressing issues: extending telehealth flexibilities, fixing Medicare physician reimbursement cuts, and robustly funding neuroscience research. 

Advocacy education

In her Presidential Plenary at the 2025 Annual Meeting, Immediate Past President Carlayne E. Jackson, MD, FAAN, led several experienced advocates for a panel on the need for advocacy. The panel was joined by Brain & Life^® Editor-in-Chief Sarah Song, MD, MPH, FAAN, for a short training session on how to get started as an advocate. .

Neurology off the Hill

Neurology off the Hill, which connects AAN members with their representatives during Congress’s summer recess, saw record engagement this year. Participants asked their representatives to co-sponsor the CONNECT for Health Act and the Improving Seniors’ Timely Access to Care Act, two crucial pieces of legislation that would protect access to telehealth and prevent care delays from prior authorization.  

Everyday advocacy

Between big events like Neurology on the Hill and smaller actions like contacting a representative through the Advocacy Action Center, more than 2,000 AAN members participated in more than 11,000 advocacy actions in 2025. Thank you for being part of our collective voice for neurology!

AAN advocacy highlights

The AAN constantly advocated for members in 2025, both through our full-time advocacy staff in Washington, DC, and by organizing larger efforts. Here are some highlights—including both victories and areas where there’s still more work to be done.

• We sent dozens of comment letters, consistently standing up for our priority issues of neuroscience research and brain health, access to care, reducing administrative burden, and strengthening the neurology workforce.   
• We gave advocates the tools to create positive change in their communities through the Global Advocacy Leadership Program and the Palatucci Advocacy Leadership Forum, which together provided opportunities for 48 AAN members.
• Our advocacy for neurologist compensation helped secure a 2.5% increase to the Medicare conversion factor. Further, based on changes in the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) 2026 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule final rule, neurology is expected to receive an additional 1% increase in payments as a specialty. 
• Robust funding for neuroscience is a necessity for both patients today and the future of brain health. We know how important this is to you—and we took a flurry of actions in 2025 to support federal funding for neuroscience research. We specifically supported, through direct AAN lobbying or working in coalition with other organizations, increased funding for the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, the BRAIN Initiative, ARPA-H, and other funding streams for the neurosciences. 
• Prior authorization burden is another major issue for neurologists and their patients. We’ve seen positive movement in a number of states on AAN-supported prior authorization reform bills. At the federal level, we saw reintroduction of both the Improving Seniors' Timely Access to Care Act and the Safe Step Act and continue to push for key guardrails to protect patient access to care.
• We’re pushing back hard on recent actions to limit J-1 and H1-B visas, both of which have an important role in strengthening the US neurology workforce. This advocacy is still in progress, but the Resident ºÃÉ«ÏÈÉú Deferred Interest (REDI) Act—legislation that would provide interest-free deferment of student loans for medical and dental residents—has been reintroduced. Also promising is the reintroduction of the Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act, which would fund 14,000 new residency slots over seven years.