NATIONAL MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS SOCIETY

Budget/Appropriations

Supporting the following funding levels in FY24 appropriations bills: LHHS- $500 million for the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, $11.6 billion for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (inclusive of $5 million for the National Neurological Conditions Surveillance System), $20 million for the Lifespan Respite Care Program, Robust support for Medicare and Medicaid and protection of Medicaid's current financing structure, $51 billion for the National Institutes of Health, any funding for the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health should supplement, rather than supplant NIH core investment and at least $15.5 billion for the Social Security Administration. FDA - $372 million increase in BA (taxpayer) funding, including $3 million to fund the Neurology Drug Program. MilConVA- support inclusion of report language that includes Neurology Centers of Excellence. - The Committee recognizes the increasing number of Veterans affected by neurologic conditions, including but not limited to: epilepsy, headache, multiple sclerosis, and Parkinsons disease. The Neurology Centers of Excellence provide essential innovative clinical care, education, and research efforts focused on these conditions. The Committee applauds the Department for recent investments into headache, multiple sclerosis, and Parkinsons disease centers and acknowledges the advancement and expansion the Centers have begun. The Committee encourages further investment and collaboration of the Centers across disciplines and directs the Department to allocate at least $72,500,000 for the Neurology Centers of Excellence for maintenance and expansion. Within this total, the Committee recommends the following amounts: $19,000,000 for epilepsy; $30,000,000 for headache; $7,500,000 for multiple sclerosis; and $16,000,000 for Parkinsons disease. DoD- $22 million for the MS Research Program and increased baseline funding of at least 5% plus inflation for the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs. H.R. 3746- the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023- monitor for impact on priority issues. Opposed discussed provision to require Medicaid work requirements.

SENATE · HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES · Defense, Dept of (DOD) · Veterans Affairs, Dept of (VA) · Agency for Healthcare Research & Quality (AHRQ) · Centers For Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) · Food & Drug Administration (FDA) · Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) · Natl Institutes of Health (NIH)