The Association for Clinical Oncology (ASCO) recently submitted a response to an RFI from the Senate HELP Committee, focusing on current oncology workforce demographics, drivers of oncology shortages across the care team, lack of workforce diversity, and the distribution of oncology professionals across rural America.

The Association for Clinical Oncology (ASCO) submitted comments in response to a Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services' (CMS) proposal is to streamline prior authorization by requiring Medicare Advantage plans, Medicaid plans, and Qualified Health Plans (QHP) on Federally Facilitated Exchanges (FFEs) to establish an electronic prior authorization process that would be integrated into a provider’s workflow.

Today President Biden released his proposed Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 federal budget with an emphasis on increased funding for medical research and expanded access to health insurance.

Medical institutions in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) in the Sub-Saharan Africa region are invited to participate in ASCO’s education and knowledge-exchange program, the International Cancer Corps (ICC). The request for proposals (RFP) is now open, and all proposals are due July 15.

On February 14, 2023, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced that the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) selected three models aiming to address high prescription drug costs for testing by the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI). This effort to identify ways to lower drug costs in United States comes in response to President Biden’s Executive Order, “Lowering Prescription Drug Costs for Americans,” which complements provisions in the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).

Both chambers of the United States Congress are working on a top health care priority for the session—protecting patients from high out-of-pocket drug costs and pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) practices that could reduce access and adherence to treatments. The Association for Clinical Oncology (ASCO) will monitor the status of these bills and any future bills that address PBM practices and patient out-of-pocket costs, and it will work with Congress to ensure the oncology community is heard throughout the process.

The Association for Clinical Oncology (ASCO) submitted comments in response to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Contract Year 2024 Policy and Technical Changes to the Medicare Advantage (MA) and Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit Programs proposed rule. ASCO’s comments focus heavily on the proposed changes to prior authorization in the MA program in addition to enhancing health equity and other updates to the Part D drug benefit program.