Advocacy
National Policy Initiatives
GASCO is a highly respected organization and provides representatives to organizations with major national initiatives important to oncology, including ASCO and the Community Oncology Alliance, that help determine clinical and payment policies in Washington, DC.
GASCO works closely with cancer advocacy groups like the National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship to ensure that access to quality cancer care is available to all cancer patients.
US Congress
Help ASCO in Urging Congress to Pass Prior Authorization Reform
This week, ASCO launched an advertising campaign in Politico, a leading political publication that is widely read on Capitol Hill, urging lawmakers to pass a prior authorization reform bill to help protect patient access to timely cancer treatment. The Association and its members are also reaching out to lawmakers on social media and using the ACT Network to urge swift passage of the Improving Seniors' Timely Access to Care Act (H.R. 3173/S. 3018). The Improving Seniors' Timely Access to Care Act will help streamline prior authorization within Medicare Advantage (MA) by creating an electronic prior authorization process in MA, holding MA plans accountable for the timeliness of determinations, and requiring MA plans to report on the extent of their prior authorization use.
Medicare Multi-Cancer Early Detection Screening Coverage Act
The Medicare Multi-Cancer Early Detection Screening Coverage Act (H.R. 1946 / S. 1873) aims to overcome the access barriers that exist for Medicare beneficiaries by creating a pathway for timely coverage of multi-cancer early detection (MCED) tests once they are approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
GASCO is among over 500 groups from all 50 states that have signed Prevent Cancer Foundation's letter to Congress encouraging passage of the Medicare Multi-Cancer Early Detection Screening Coverage Act. The legislation has reached an exciting milestone: over half of the U.S. House of Representatives have co-sponsored the bill.
- Prevent Cancer Foundation leads more than 500 organizations in support of Medicare Multi-Cancer Early Detection Screening Coverage Act in the Senate
- Prevent Cancer Foundation's letter to Congress
Please see Congresswoman Terri Sewell's tweet, which highlights this exciting step forward to passage.
Advocacy in Georgia
GASCO is active at the state level on issues of significance to the cancer care community providing representatives to Medicare's Carrier Advisory Committee, the Georgia Cancer Coalition and the Georgia Center for Oncology Research and Education (Georgia CORE).
GASCO's Legislative Committee educates GASCO members and provides important testimony to the Georgia Legislature for oncology related issues.
