Policy Comments
The priority legislative and regulatory issues that the Cancer Policy Institute focuses on are driven by policy pillars that are centered around the values, needs, and preferences of individuals impacted by cancer. We work in conjunction with patients, patient advocacy organizations, medical associations, and other stakeholders to advance policies aimed at improving access to, affordability of, and quality of care across the cancer continuum.
Statement urging members of Congress to vote no on legislation that would add so-called “work requirements” to the Medicaid program.
Comments, to CMS regarding implementation of the drug price negotiation provision of the IRA, applauding the positive changes while highlighting a number of concerns that have been raised about the new policies and suggests how the federal government might prevent unintended harms and better incorporate patient and caregiver feedback going forward.
Comments to CMS regarding implementation of the drug price negotiation provision of the IRA urging meaningful engagement of patients and people with disabilities, urging CMS to explicitly recognize, the existing statute barring use of QALYs and similar measures, and urging CMS to establish patient-centered standards and outcomes.
Letter to CMS, asking them to reverse the elimination of a procedure code (S2068) for deep inferior epigastric perforator (DIEP) flap breast reconstruction surgery.
Letter to United Healthcare's CEO asking United Healthcare to stop the program to require prior authorization for almost all upper gastrointestinal (GI) endoscopy, colonoscopy and capsule endoscopy procedures scheduled to begin June 1, 2023, for Commercial plans in almost every market..
Letter to CMS recommending the needs for patient-groups who represent beneficiary populations be included throughout the IRA implementation process.
Letter thanking President Biden for the increase in funding for the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) in its staffing and administrative support for the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) in his Fiscal Year 2024 budget proposal.
Letter to HHS in response to the Advancing Interoperability and Improving Prior Authorization Proposed Rule offering comments and recommendations addressing specific provisions in the proposed rule.
Letter in response to the Senate HELP committee's RFI on the growing health care workforce shortage urging the committee to consider the Palliative Care and Hospice Education and Training Act (PCHETA) as it seeks to address interdisciplinary workforce shortages for the care of patients with serious illness.
Supporting and Protecting the Medicaid Program