APDA’s Public Policy Priorities 

APDA Advocacy at APDA APDA’s Public Policy Priorities 

APDA’s Public Policy Priorities

APDA’s public policy efforts focus on Advancing Care, Coverage, Evidence, Supports, and Services (ACCESS) for the Parkinson’s community.  

APDA’s public policy team supports ACCESS through:  

APDA’s Public Policy & Advocacy Team
APDA’s Public Policy & Advocacy Team

Policy Analysis 

APDA analyzes policies, including proposed rules, regulations, or legislation. APDA writes public comment letters to inform policymakers of the impact of proposed or enacted policies on the Parkinson’s community.  

The goal of public comment letters is to change policies to support the Parkinson’s community. For example, a public comment letter may discuss how a proposed policy may increase or decrease the cost of health care and may offer policy alternatives that aim to improve the cost of health care. A public comment letter may also address how a policy may create unnecessary barriers to care for people with Parkinson’s and may offer alternative policy approaches that maintain or improve access to care for the Parkinson’s community.  

Please see below for APDA policy analyses, including public comment letters: 

  • Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA) Modernization [01/15/2026]  
    • APDA urges Congress to reform MACRA by including quality measures relevant to the PD community and supporting adoption of appropriate technology to support people with PD.  
    • Read APDA’s public comment letter here 
  • Request for Information: Accelerating the Adoption and Use of Artificial Intelligence as Part of Clinical Care [02/10/2026] 
    • APDA shares APDA Voices of Parkinson’s Council comments on opportunities to address PD clinical care challenges with artificial intelligence (AI) and concerns the PD population has about use of AI in clinical care.  
    • Read APDA’s public comment letter here 
  • Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, HHS Notice of Benefit and Payment Parameters for 2027; and Basic Health Program [03/13/2026] 
    • APDA urges HHS to consider the impact of the proposed changes on the affordability of health care for people with PD, navigation of the health insurance marketplace, access to PD providers, and costs to states to maintain patient access to certain services.  
    • Read APDA’s public comment letter here 
  • Request for Information Related to Comprehensive Regulations to Uncover Suspicious Healthcare (CRUSH) [03/30/2026] 
    • APDA urges HHS to invest in cost-effective prevention programs and engage with relevant PD patients and providers on health care coverage changes to ensure any efforts to curb waste, fraud, and abuse also consider the impact on patients’ access to medically necessary care. 
    • Read APDA’s public comment letter here 
  • Revisions to the Botulinum Toxin Injections Local Coverage Determination (L35170) [03/31/2026] 
    • APDA urges HHS to reconsider changes to the Botulinum Toxin Injections Local Coverage Determination (L35170), which reduces access to Botox to manage PD symptoms.
    • Read APDA’s public comment letter here 
  • Department of Veterans Affairs Notice of Plans to Assess the Current Scientific Literature and Historical Detailed Claims Data Regarding Neurodegenerative Outcomes and Selected Military Environmental Exposures; Annual Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring Our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act Public Listening Session and Request for Comments [04/13/2026] 
    • APDA requests the VA to align presumptive eligibility policies for PD on current scientific evidence, eliminate toxic chemicals associated with PD from military installations, and develop a long-term health surveillance system for Veterans at risk for PD. 
    • Read APDA’s public comment letter here 

Policy Research 

APDA conducts, funds, and contributes to policy research to inform policy development. APDA policy research focuses on improving health care coverage, access, and affordability.  

Please see below for APDA-supported or led policy research:  

  • Economic Burden of Parkinson’s and Atypical Parkinsonism in the United States (APDA co-sponsored) 
    • A newly released report, co-sponsored by the American Parkinson Disease Association, has shown that as of 2024, PD and atypical parkinsonism are placing an $82.2 billion annual economic burden on the United States—highlighting the growing financial strain of these neurological conditions. Of the $82.2 billion total, $23.8 billion is attributable to direct medical costs, and $58.4 billion reflects indirect and non-medical costs. 

Policy Communication and Engagement 

APDA develops blog posts, commentaries, and other forms of communication to discuss the importance of public policy changes to different PD stakeholders, including people with PD, care partners, policymakers, researchers, and providers. APDA also hosts forums, including webinars and town halls, to bring together PD stakeholders to discuss public policy topics. Policy communication and engagements also include meetings with policymakers to discuss key PD policy priorities, for example, the National Parkinson’s Project.  

For the latest advocacy updates, breaking news, and APDA policy communications and engagements, please see APDA Public Policy and Advocacy News.   

Policy Education Initiatives 

Policy education initiatives inform stakeholders of priority policy issues identified by the PD community. Initiatives may include collaborative efforts with other APDA departments and external organizations to address cross-cutting policy issues.  

Please see below for APDA policy education initiatives:  

  • Parkinson’s Policy Workforce Development Program 
    • Expanding policy expertise on topics relevant to PD through public policy internships, fellowships, webinars, and other educational experiences. 

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