The governments of 46 states and Washington, D.C. will convene for legislative sessions in 2024. New Jersey and Virginia will enter the first year of their biennia, and the other states will carryover sessions into their second year. By the end of January, thirty-six states will have kicked off their legislative sessions and the rest will begin their work by April. Check the Association for Clinical Oncology’s (ASCO) state legislative calendar to discover state-specific session dates.

ASCO’s 2024 state advocacy priorities include prior authorization and step therapy, fertility preservation coverage, Medicaid expansion, and pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) reform, among other issues. While ASCO anticipates lighter legislative agendas at the state level, given the upcoming elections in November, the Association will continue to work with the state affiliates and our coalition partners to educate lawmakers on the issues impacting cancer care.

ASCO staff and volunteers recently attended the AMA State Advocacy Summit in Amelia Island, Florida and connected with staff and physicians from state medical societies and other national specialty organizations. ASCO taff participated in sessions on a wide variety of topics, including prior authorization and the use of AI in health care, and heard from state legislators and regulators. The Association is looking forward to utilizing the lessons learned and connections made at the event during the legislative sessions.

Please encourage your members to explore the ACT Network state bill tracker, which updates in real time, to see if legislation pertaining to cancer care has already been filed in your state. If you have any questions about state legislation and advocacy, contact Sarah Lanford, Aaron Segel, or Nick Telesco.

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