ASCO's Government Relations Committee establishes advocacy priorities on an annual basis. These priorities are updated as needed to reflect emerging issues. 

Ensure access to affordable health care for cancer patients and survivors

  • Required coverage for essential services that prevent, diagnose and treat cancer
  • Exemption of cancer patients from step therapy and co-pay accumulator policies
  • Prevention of Medicaid policies that limit access to care

Promote quality and efficiency of care 

  • Adequate reimbursement for oncology treatments and ancillary services
  • Streamlined prior authorization and reduced administrative burden for providers
  • Adoption of ASCO’s Patient Centered Oncology Payment Program (PCOP) and refinements to Oncology Care First Program (OCF)
  • Ensure accurate and fair performance measurement and reward for oncology providers
  • Advance policies that reduce tobacco and nicotine use, indoor tanning and obesity
  • Efficient exchange of healthcare information/interoperability to support quality care
  • Advance mCODE as the standard means of exchanging information

Support patient participation in clinical research

  • Expand eligibility criteria
  • Ensure all Medicaid programs cover routine care costs of clinical trials
  • Sustained and robust funding for NIH, NCI, and FDA