The Parkinson's disease (PD) community achieved several notable public policy successes in 2016. Last June the Parkinson's Action Network (PAN) unified with MJFF and the Foundation continued PAN's mission to bolster policy and advocacy efforts serving people with PD. Together with patients, families and researchers, we've influenced government policies and programs in support of our community.

Several Policy Accomplishments Realized in 2016
Progress wouldn’t happen without you — the constituents of elected officials — making your voices heard. Your efforts helped us reach several milestones:

• 21st Century Cures Act Became Law. The Parkinson's community advocated for years to pass this legislation, which will create a national data collection system to better understand neurological diseases and support research and care. Learn about the community's work on this issue and other notable provisions in the bill. 
• UPAC Supported Veterans with PD. The Foundation's newly-formed Unified Parkinson's Advocacy Council (UPAC), comprising representatives from state, regional and national PD organizations who gather field-wide input on community policy priorities, took action for the first time. The council urged the Department of Veterans Affairs to provide benefits to veterans who were exposed to contaminants and later developed Parkinson's. Read the UPAC's letter on this topic. 
• Social Security Administration Instituted Reforms. The Social Security Administration (SSA) issued new rules for evaluating Parkinson's for disability insurance, recognizing that people living with PD can experience both motor and non-motor symptoms. This is the first large-scale overhaul of these rules since 1985, and the first time the SSA has incorporated the non-motor aspects of Parkinson's. Get more information on community advocacy efforts, which began under PAN.

Your Actions Made a Difference. Since May 2016, you sent nearly 31,000 emails to your elected officials, educating them on Parkinson's issues of importance. This correspondence had an impact. You sent 3,000 letters urging U.S. senators to vote against an amendment that would negatively affect Parkinson’s research at the Department of Defense, and it was eventually dropped.

Policy Work Will Continue Strong in the New Year
Based on information President-elect Trump shared during his campaign and statements from members of Congress, we anticipate several policy issues coming into play this year. These include reforms to programs like Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security, as well as an effort to repeal the Affordable Care Act (aka Obamacare) and replace it with new legislation. Our focus is on gathering information to determine what potential changes are likely to be proposed, as well as building relationships with members of the new Administration. MJFF recently signed a letter to President-elect Trump requesting an open dialogue about health care system reforms. Read more on our blog.

The Foundation is developing a set of Health Care System Principles to guide our policy efforts moving forward. These principles will be created with Parkinson’s community input and will provide a framework through which we can evaluate proposed legislation that could impact research funding and access to care. Stay tuned to our blog and your email for more information.

We will continue to advocate in support of federal research investments. Congress is expected to finalize the Fiscal Year 2017 budget once the new Administration takes office and MJFF will push for increased funding for the federal departments and agencies that conduct PD research (e.g., the National Institutes of Health and the Department of Defense Parkinson's Research Program). And, as new drugs and devices make their way to the Food and Drug Administration for approval, the Foundation will amplify the patient voice and community priorities so government regulators understand the unmet needs of people with PD.

Read more about MJFF's public policy work.

Contact your lawmakers about issues impacting the Parkinson's community.