Capitol Hill Report: Executive branch update
February 11, 2025
AAN Special Action Alert on Neuroscience Research
On Friday, February 7, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) announced that it will be capping the amount of grant funding that can be used on “indirect cost” at 15%. The AAN is concerned that this sudden change could diminish the nation’s capacity to continue cutting-edge neuroscience research, slow down progress towards finding novel cures and treatments, and—ultimately—hurt the patients treated by AAN members.
The AAN has been in regular communication with policymakers to underscore the importance of the work our members do every day. We ask that AAN members help reinforce that message by using the AAN’s Advocacy Center to urge them to support congressionally funded neuroscience research.
The AAN will continue to stand up for neuroscience research in order to ensure we can continue to pursue our mission of promoting brain health for all. Please look out for more communications from us as we monitor the fluid environment in Washington, DC, for issues that will impact our members.
Issue in focus
Following the November 2024 presidential election, President Donald Trump began announcing his nominees for key leadership roles in federal regulatory agencies. Once the Senate confirms the nominees, the heads of agencies will enact the president’s policies through drafting, implementation, and enforcement of regulations. Thus far, the Senate has confirmed 13 of President Trump’s nominees.
Key nominees to health agencies include Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for Secretary of the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Mehmet Oz, MD, for Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator, Martin A. Makary, MD, for Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner, and Jay Bhattacharya, MD, PhD, for National Institutes of Health (NIH) Director.
On February 4, Kennedy received a majority of votes from the Senate Finance Committee, resulting in a recommendation of approval for his confirmation to the full Senate. Members of the Finance Committee voted along party lines with a 14-13 outcome. It is expected that the full Senate will vote on his confirmation some time this week. The AAN continues to closely monitor as the confirmation process continues. Upon confirmation, the AAN will conduct outreach to key appointees as appropriate. As with previous administrations, the AAN will develop relationships that support our efforts to advocate for policies that benefit neurologists, their patients, and their practices.
In his first few weeks of office, President Trump has signed dozens of executive orders with broad impacts on the country at large, and health care specifically. The executive orders rescinded several care delivery models aimed at lowering the cost of prescription drugs, gave notice of the administration’s intent to withdraw the US from the World Health Organization, sought to end birthright citizenship, established the Department of Government Efficiency within the Executive Office of the President, and rescinded directives related to insurance coverage under the Affordable Care Act. Also rescinded was a Biden-era order related to governance frameworks related to artificial intelligence (AI). It was replaced with a new executive order aimed at promoting AI innovation. The President also issued several executive orders targeting diversity, equity, and inclusion in both the federal government and the private sector. Diversity, equity, and inclusion are a core value of the AAN. Many of these executive orders are subject to ongoing litigation. The AAN is closely monitoring the impact on neurologists and neurology patients and continues to work in support of our vision, mission, and values.
Additionally, in the days following his inauguration, the Trump administration implemented several administrative actions including freezes on new regulation, certain agency activities, and the distribution of funding impacted by the president’s executive orders. A freeze on new regulations is typical following a transition of power and allows new leadership to review recent rulemaking and make changes or withdraw actions before publication in the Federal Register, however, some have faced significant opposition through the courts. Most notably, the funding freeze directed federal agencies to halt all disbursement of federal financial assistance that could conflict with President Trump’s policies. The scope and effect of the freeze was not immediately clear, and the freeze has since been temporarily paused by two federal judges, pending ongoing litigation. The AAN is pleased that while this action is being reviewed, funds will continue to be distributed to researchers and practices across the country.
The political landscape changes with every confirmation and executive action, but the AAN is working diligently to monitor the impact on neurology and scope of each change and will respond appropriately.
Latest advocacy news
AAN submits comments in response to proposed policy changes for Medicare Advantage and Part D
On January 22, the AAN submitted comments in response to CMS’s proposed policy and technical changes for CY2026 Medicare Advantage and Part D programs. The comments address changes related to prescription payment plans, provider directories, internal coverage criteria, health equity analysis, guardrails for artificial intelligence, and formulary inclusion of generics and biosimilars.
What we're reading
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Please understand that the current situation in Washington, DC, is constantly changing. The AAN is monitoring developments closely, and is in regular communication with policymakers to highlight the importance of neurology. We will continue to inform AAN membership through Capitol Hill Report as new policies emerge that could impact our members.