Latest Advocacy Updates
ICYMI: Spine Surgery Leaders Call for Immediate End to Denial of Standard-of-Care Implants in Cervical Fusion
- May 11, 2026
Washington, DC — The American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) and Congress of Neurological Surgeons (CNS), joined other leading national spine organizations in calling for an immediate end to clinically unfounded insurance denials of essential medical implants used in common cervical fusion procedures.
Read morePosition Statement On Insurance Coverage for Interbody Biomechanical Devices (CPT 22853) in Cervical Spine Arthrodesis
- May 11, 2026
Cervical spinal arthrodesis is a well-established surgical procedure used to treat degenerative cervical spondylotic myelopathy, radiculopathy, spinal instability, deformity, trauma, infection, and neoplastic conditions affecting the cervical spine. The goal is to achieve solid fusion between vertebral bodies following neural decompression and restoration of appropriate sagittal alignment.
Read moreICYMI: Neurosurgery Leader Responds to Federal Action Aligning Hospital Nutrition with Patient Care
- Apr 21, 2026
Washington, DC — The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently issued guidance directing hospitals to strengthen nutrition services by aligning patient meals with the 2025–2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans and reducing reliance on ultra-processed foods, added sugars, and refined carbohydrates.
Read moreNeurosurgeon Appointed to Federal Alzheimer’s Advisory Council
- Feb 4, 2026
Washington, DC — The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) appointed ten new members to the Advisory Council on Alzheimer’s Research, Care, and Services, including Ricardo A. Hanel, MD, PhD, a nationally recognized neurosurgeon who serves as Director of the Baptist Neurological Institute, Co-Director of Stroke and Cerebrovascular Surgery, and Endowed Chair of Stroke and Cerebrovascular Surgery at Baptist Medical Center Jacksonville, Florida.
Read moreNeurosurgery Leader Responds to New Dietary Guidelines: A Leap Toward Brain and Spine Health
- Jan 9, 2026
This week, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) released the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2025–2030, calling for a nationwide return to whole foods, reduced reliance on ultra-processed products, and age-adjusted nutritional patterns across the lifespan.
Read moreAANS and CNS Statement for the Record: House Ways and Means Health Subcommittee Hearing on Health at Your Fingertips: Harnessing the Power of Digital Health Data July 9, 2025
- Jul 9, 2025
Chairman Buchanan, Ranking Member Doggett, and members of the Committee, thank you for the opportunity to provide comments on how access to digital health data can help improve patient health and the challenges associated with adopting such technology.
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