BrainPAC Helps AAN Members Advocate for Neurology ‘365 Days a Year’

August 12, 2024

The AAN is dedicated to advocating for you and your patients—and one tool it uses to do so is BrainPAC, its political action committee. 

“There are a lot of ways in which the federal government and agencies can impact neurologists and care for neurology patients, for good or for bad,” said Jeremy K. Cutsforth-Gregory, MD, FAAN, who chairs the BrainPAC Executive Committee. “If we want to be a part of those conversations, we have to have relationships with the folks who are at the table— members of the US House and Senate.”

BrainPAC is a grassroots effort funded entirely through donations from AAN members who are US citizens or permanent residents. It’s led by appointed members of the Academy, like Cutsforth-Gregory, and is the only political action committee in Washington, DC, working on behalf of all of neurology. It functions through bipartisan support for the campaigns of neurology-friendly US House and Senate candidates. It does not contribute to presidential or state-level campaigns.

“BrainPAC is political only in the sense that it gives contributions to campaigns of politicians—there’s no party preference. We give to candidates who are in a position to help or harm neurology,” Cutsforth-Gregory said. “As for its impact, you could look at essentially any federal legislation that’s seen as a win for neurology, and BrainPAC will have been there.”

He cited specific areas like supporting the renewal of the Conrad 30 program and lobbying to decrease the impact of Medicare reimbursement cuts.

Cutsforth-Gregory got involved with BrainPAC nearly 10 years ago as a senior resident. While attending the AAN’s Palatucci Advocacy Leadership Forum, he heard about the political action committee and how it amplifies the AAN’s federal advocacy efforts. Intrigued, he made a small donation—and in the next cycle, joined the executive committee as a fellow/trainee member.

Since then, he says he’s learned a lot about how BrainPAC helps neurology be “part of the conversation” and make their priorities known.

“Events like Neurology on the Hill, when the AAN flies a large number of neurologists to Capitol Hill for training and advocacy, are very effective—but that event is only one day a year,” Cutsforth-Gregory said. “We have a full staff in DC for 365 days a year, attending events and building relationships. BrainPAC helps make it possible to get AAN members in front of members of Congress.”

If you are a US-based AAN member, learn more about BrainPAC.