A Closer Look

You Made a Difference -- Keep the Calls Coming!

Dear Parkinson's Community,

You've been hearing from us about the need to protect funding at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) from sequestration cuts.  In coalition with other research advocates, on Wednesday the Parkinson’s Action Network (PAN) co-hosted the first “We Need Cures, Not Cuts” National Call-In Day. More »

PAN Mourns the Loss of Longtime Florida Parkinson’s Advocate Paula Wittekind

The Parkinson’s Action Network (PAN) mourns the loss of longtime Parkinson’s advocate Paula Wittekind, who passed away on November 8, 2012.  A former PAN Florida State Coordinator and active member of the Parkinson Pipeline Project, Paula worked to accelerate new treatments for Parkinson’s disease and to represent an authentic voice for patients in the treatment development process. More »

Tell Congress: We Need Cures, Not Cuts!

November 14: National Call-In Day

On Wednesday, November 14, the Parkinson's Action Network is hosting its first-ever National Call-In Day to urge Congress to protect funding that offers promise for better treatments and a cure. Help us make this day a success and ask your friends and family to join us in telling Congress we need cures, not cuts! More »

Election Results and Sequestration

Dear Parkinson's Community,

One cannot overstate the importance of Election Day.  The results have such a significant impact on our lives and on those impacted by Parkinson's disease.  We now know that the balance of power between the Administration and the House and Senate will remain similar to what it has been for the last two years.  Regardless of one's personal views on these issues, this also means that we now know that the Affordable Care Act will likely go into full effect in 2014 (with many details of implementation being decided in 2013), that federal funding for human embryonic stem cell research will continue to go forward (unless the Supreme Court decides otherwise), and discussions regarding Medicare therapy access and coverage will be ongoing. More »

Excellent Medicare Litigation Settlement

Dear Parkinson's Community,

As you may recall from earlier emails, in early 2011 the Parkinson's Action Network (PAN) joined with the Center for Medicare Advocacy in a class action lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.  The lawsuit challenges the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Service's (CMS) policy that denies Medicare coverage to those who are unable to show that they are improving from certain skilled care services, including therapy.  Needless to say, this policy is blatantly absurd for those with degenerative diseases, like Parkinson's, where services such as therapy may be exactly what is needed to help slow degeneration. More »

2013 PAN Forum

The Parkinson's Action Network (PAN) invites you to the 2013 PAN Forum, February 25-27, 2013, in Washington, DC.  

You can be a part of finding better treatments and a cure for Parkinson's disease.

You can learn more about new research and how federal funding of biomedical research generates private-sector investment, supports local economies, and gets us closer to a cure. More »

Medicare Annual Open Enrollment Period is Now Open!

Every year, all people with Medicare have the opportunity to enroll in or change their prescription drug plan, also known as Part D.  The Annual Enrollment Period for Part D opened October 15 and runs through December 7, 2012.  The costs and benefits of each plan vary from year to year, so it is important for beneficiaries to carefully review their options and make the best choices possible for the coming year.  Coverage begins for enrollees in January 2013. More »

PAN Mourns the Loss of Longtime Texas Parkinson’s Advocate Joe Brown

The Parkinson’s Action Network (PAN) mourns the loss of longtime Parkinson’s advocate Joe Brown, who passed away on October 10, 2012.  Joe’s positive attitude and perseverance helped shape his advocacy work.  Along with his wife, Nina, Joe received PAN’s 2004 Milly Kondracke Award for Outstanding Advocacy.  We are grateful for his advocacy service around the importance of medical research and the fight to find a cure for Parkinson’s disease. More »

Urge Candidates to Share their Views on Biomedical Research

Dear Parkinson’s Community,  

With less than four weeks to go before Election Day, I want to encourage all of you to push your candidates to share their views on health and biomedical research with the voting public.  It may surprise you to know that despite the fact that Americans consistently describe medical, health, and scientific research as important to them, just eight percent say that they are very well informed about their elected officials' positions on these issues.  Yet, biomedical research and access to quality health care impacts all of us, including the Parkinson's community. More »

Meet Sarah King: PAN State Director -- Southern California

Sarah King is PAN’s State Director – Southern California.  She lives in Santa Monica with her husband, Kevin, and is a recent southern California transplant – having just moved there in July.  In this interview, Sarah shares what it’s like to rebuild your advocacy network when you move to a new city, how her mother’s living with Parkinson’s inspired her to become active with PAN, and how she looks forward to supporting the Parkinson’s community in her new city. More »