At the 2019 ASCO Advocacy Summit, ASCO members from 35 states held more than 160 Congressional meetings, urging members of Congress to take action to advance policy priorities that improve patient access to cancer care, including:
- The Covering Life-Saving Investigations Needed in Cancer and Other Life-Threatening Conditions Through Timely use of Resources for Easy and Affordable Treatment From Medicaid for Enrollees in Need Today Act (CLINICAL TREATMENT Act; H.R. 913), which would improve access to clinical trials for patients with Medicaid
- The Safe Step Act (H.R. 2279/S. 2546), which would help to protect patients from harmful step therapy protocols
- The Improving Seniors’ Timely Access to Care Act (H.R. 3107), which would help protect patients from unnecessary care delays due to the prior authorization process
- Reforms to the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015 to ensure that cancer care providers can sustain their practices and invest in more efficient models of care delivery that better serve Medicare beneficiaries.
At a reception on Capitol Hill, ASCO presented its Congressional Leadership Award to Reps. Ben Ray Luján (New Mexico) and Gus Bilirakis (Florida) to recognize them for their commitment to advancing policies to support research and improve the practice environment.
During a breakfast meeting at the Advocacy Summit, ASCO advocates heard from Rep. Roger Marshall, MD (Kansas). In his remarks, he said his philosophy is that the patient and physician should decide “where, when, and how” treatment is given. Advocates also heard from Rep. Angie Craig (Minnesota), who announced during the breakfast that she would sign on as a cosponsor of the CLINICAL TREATMENT Act.
ASCO also presented its Advocate of the Year Award to Alexandra Thomas, MD, for her significant advocacy work on behalf of individuals living with cancer and their cancer care teams. “Alexandra has made a tremendous commitment to advocacy over the past year,” said ASCO Government Relations Committee Chair Melissa Dillmon, MD, FASCO. “Her work to ensure that the needs of her patients—as well as all people with cancer in our country—are being met through conscientious health policy and legislation is admirable.”
Stay up-to-date on all cancer policy issues by visiting ASCO in Action at asco.org/ascoaction.
© 2019. American Society of Clinical Oncology. All rights reserved.
