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Washington E-Newsletter

Washington Office Staff Meets with NINDS Officials

On Jan. 30, as part of the National Coalition for Heart Disease and Stroke, AANS/CNS Washington Office staff participated in a meeting with National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) leaders regarding current research funding programs. NINDS director Walter Koroshetz, MD, informed the group that the institute received $2.8 billion in The Consolidated Appropriations Act, […]
Washington E-Newsletter

Neurosurgery Urges CMS to Improve Quality Payment Program

The AANS and the CNS joined 35 national medical specialty societies in sending a letter to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) urging the agency to incorporate changes in the 2024 Quality Payment Program related to the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) Value Pathways (MVPs) program. In the letter, the groups requested that […]
Washington E-Newsletter

DEA Issues Proposed Rules on Telehealth Flexibilities

On Feb. 24, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) issued proposals to make permanent limited flexibilities for prescribing controlled substances via telehealth. One proposal covers situations when telehealth is used to prescribe controlled substances when the practitioner and the patient do not have a prior in-person medical evaluation. The DEA is also amending its regulations to expand […]
Washington E-Newsletter

AANS and CNS Urge CMS to Ban Step Therapy in Medicare

On Feb. 13, the AANS and the CNS sent a letter to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) asking the agency to reinstate the step therapy prohibition in the Medicare Advantage program. In the letter, the groups requested that the agency prohibit step therapy for Part B drugs as specified in the original […]
Washington E-Newsletter

Neurosurgery Recommends that CMS Expand Carotid Artery Stenting Coverage

On Feb. 7, the AANS, CNS and AANS/CNS Cerebrovascular Section sent a letter to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) urging the agency to update its National Coverage Determination for Carotid Artery Stenting (CAS). In 2009, the AANS and the CNS disagreed with proposals to expand coverage for CAS to asymptomatic patients based […]
Washington E-Newsletter

AANS and CNS Comment on Prior Authorization Reform Proposals

On Dec. 6, 2022, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a proposed rule requiring Medicare Advantage plans and other public health insurers to implement automated prior authorization systems. Subsequently, on Dec. 14, 2022, CMS issued another proposed rule to improve prior authorization in the Medicare Advantage program. Taken together, the proposed rules would: The AANS and […]
Washington E-Newsletter

Court Rules in Favor of Physicians in Lawsuit Challenging No Surprises Act

In a win for physicians and hospitals, for the second time in less than two years, a federal court in Texas has rejected the Biden Administration’s attempt to rewrite the independent-dispute resolution process that Congress created in the No Surprises Act (NSA). The NSA bans surprise medical bills for out-of-network care and establishes a process for resolving payment […]
Washington E-Newsletter

Support Neurosurgery’s Advocacy Activities and Contribute to NeurosurgeryPAC

It is that time of year to support neurosurgery’s advocacy activities in Washington, DC, by contributing to NeurosurgeryPAC. Neurosurgery achieved some significant advocacy successes last year due to the generous contributions from neurosurgeons across the country. Your political action committee (PAC) needs ongoing resources to continue making progress and advance neurosurgery’s 2023 Legislative & Regulatory Agenda. As a […]
Washington E-Newsletter

NeurosurgeryPAC Releases 2022 Annual Report

NeurosurgeryPAC recently published its 2022 Annual Report. In 2022, the political action committee (PAC) raised $212,254 and dispersed $247,000 to 68 candidates for federal office. Of the 68 candidates receiving NeurosurgeryPAC support, 51% were Democrats, and 49% were Republicans. Ninety-six percent of NeurosurgeryPAC-backed candidates won their general election bids, and the overall success rate — […]
Washington E-Newsletter

AANS and CNS Urge Congress to Address Medical Student Debt

Reps. Brian Babin, DDS, (R-Texas) and Chrissy Houlahan (D-Pa.) in the U.S. House of Representatives and Sens. Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.) and John Boozman, OD, (R-Ark.) in the U.S. Senate, have introduced legislation to address physician student loan debt. The bipartisan Resident Education Deferred Interest (REDI) Act (H.R. 1202/S. 704) would allow borrowers to qualify for interest-free deferment on their student loans while […]