Policy Priorities and Principles

Guided by the Cancer Support Community’s (CSC’s) mission to ensure that all people impacted by cancer are empowered by knowledge, strengthened by action, and sustained by community, the Cancer Policy Institute (CPI) is proud to serve our community through engagement in public policy and advocacy.

In 2026, we are particularly focused on 4 core principles:

1. Ensuring that the full patient experience, which provides crucial information about a condition, therapy, or clinical investigation, is captured throughout the clinical process and beyond. CSC supports the collection, measurement, and meaningful communication of patient experience data that includes both the patient’s physical and psychosocial impacts as an essential part of the drug development process and cancer care from diagnosis to survivorship.
2. Examining the use of utilization management (UM) tools that fail to incorporate the patient perspective and may reduce access and affordability to essential care and treatment, as well as impose undue burden on patients and providers. UM tools such as prior authorization and step therapy should be patient-centered and designed and implemented to foster cost-effective, seamless care. CSC supports efforts to curtail the burden of UM techniques imposed on patients.   
3. Eliminating health disparities and creating systems that support all people impacted by cancer throughout their experience. Addressing and breaking down barriers to care is a driving force in all policy considerations and decisions at CSC. Health disparities can only be addressed when all individuals have access to, and can afford, health care insurance and services. CSC is committed to supporting efforts that advance access to care for all people impacted by cancer.
4. Supporting cancer research and drug development. Support policies that advance innovation and improved cancer treatment by engaging collaboratively with the Administration, Congress, Food and Drug Administration (FDA), National Cancer Institute (NCI), sponsors, providers, and patient advocacy organizations. Advocate for increased funding for cancer research, broaden evidence- based clinical trial eligibility criteria , ensure clinical trials use a representative sample of the population affected, incorporate real-world data to better inform post market surveillance, and advocate for patient-centered policies throughout the treatment, development, and evaluation process (e.g., PDUFA reauthorization, accelerated approval program, patient-centered endpoints, etc.)

2026 CPI Policy Matrix

CSC’s 2026 Policy Matrix showcases the Cancer Policy Institute’s levels of engagement (leading, partnering, monitoring, and engaging as needed) for each policy priority. This document serves as an overview of the Cancer Policy Institute’s key focus areas and corresponding levels of engagement.

Access and Affordability of Health Care

1. Utilization management (UM)

• Step therapy & the Safe Step Act (H.R. 5509/S. 2903)
• Copay accumulators/maximizers & the Help Ensure Lower Patient (HELP) Copays Act (H.R. 6423/S. 864)
• Alternative Funding Programs (AFPs)
• Prior authorization 
   

2. 340B policy, resources, and grassroots advocacy

3. Protecting the Six Protected Classes (6PC)

4. Medicaid coverage & state work requirements

5. Reauthorization of ACA eAPTCs

6. Oral parity & the Cancer Drug Parity Act (H.R. 4101)

7. Biomarker testing

8. Patient access to Medicare Part B medicines 

Patient Navigation 

Monitoring the CMS Physician Fee Schedule for Principal Inness Navigation (PIN) and Community Health Integration (CHI) codes and state level Community Health Worker (CHW) support 

Patient Value 

1. Inflation Reduction Act patient engagement

2. Prohibiting discriminatory measures, such as quality-adjusted life years (QALYs), in determining coverage and cost of care under federal programs

• Protecting Healthcare for All Patients Act (H.R. 3864) 

3. Monitoring Most Favored Nations (MFN) policy development and implementation, including rebates and transparency policies

4. Telehealth and tele-mental health 

Innovation 

1. Medical research funding 

• National Institutes of Health (NIH)
• National Cancer Institute (NCI)
• Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP)
• Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H) 

2. Increasing clinical trial diversity and breaking down barriers to participation 

• Clinical Trial Modernization Act (H.R. 3521) 

3. CAR-T in the community and caregiver requirements 

Cancer Prevention & Early Detection  

1. Cancer prevention & early detection access and coverage 

• Reducing Hereditary Cancer Act (H.R. 4752/S. 2760)
• PSA Screening for HIM Act (S. 297)