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FROM THE ACCCBUZZ BLOG

Building a Culture of Deliberate Advocacy
By Matt Devino, MPH
October 19, 2021
The key to successful policy and advocacy is twofold: avoid approaching new policies with a preferred conclusion and leverage the strengths of your colleagues.
ACCC Pursues Health Equity Through ACORI
October 05, 2021
In 2021, ACCC launched the ACCC Community Oncology Research Institute (ACORI), which builds on ACCC’s mission to achieve equitable cancer care for all patients by forming key community partnerships. As part of this mission, ACCC hosted the ACORI Call to Action Summit, a two-day virtual event held September 13-14, 2021, to garner participant feedback and guide the future of the institute.
National Paid Family and Medical Leave May be on the Horizon
By Matt Devino, MPH
September 24, 2021
Despite the havoc it has caused, our continuously unfolding public health emergency has given us hope that some elusive policy initiatives are now not the stretch they once were.
ACCC Recognizes Prostate Cancer Awareness Month
September 14, 2021
ACCC has long highlighted the racial and ethnic disparities that exist in oncology and hematology care delivery to advocate for true health equity for all patients with cancer. Through various programs, ACCC helps teach members of the multidisciplinary cancer care team how they can help patients overcome barriers and disparities in various treatment settings.
Despite Setbacks, Biosimilars Market Share Continues to Increase
By Matt Devino, MPH
September 10, 2021
With total spending on U.S. cancer care projected to rise 34 percent from 2015-2030 to $245 billion, biosimilars can play a role in helping reduce those costs. Learn how Biden’s executive order on promoting competition in the American economy will require the FDA's biosimilars approval framework to be clearer and easier to follow.
Medical Nutrition Therapy Act Would Benefit Medicare Recipients
August 24, 2021
If passed, the Medical Nutrition Therapy Act could expand Medicare Part B to cover medical nutrition therapy services for patients with cancer, who need to maintain their strength and keep a health body weight during treatment. ACCCBuzz shares more about this legislation and why its benefits are essential for oncology.
State by State: Colorado Expands Scope of Practice for Pharmacy Professionals
By Matt Devino, MPH
August 03, 2021
Led by the Colorado Pharmacists Society and the sponsorship of Colorado state senators Faith Winter and Joann Ginal and Representatives Dylan Roberts and David Ortiz, Senate Bill 94 was signed into law June 24, 2021 by Colorado Governor Jared Polis, greatly expanding the scope of practice for state pharmacy professionals. Read how the expansion of collaborative practice agreements under the new legislation can enhance oncology patient care in several key ways.
Using Medicaid to Help Uninsured Patients Afford Their Care
July 27, 2021
ACCC worked with members of the ACCC Financial Advocacy Network to provide guidance on how to help patients access much-need financial assistance regardless of their insurance status. Here, a financial navigator at Kettering Cancer Care in Kettering, Ohio, discusses how to help patients afford their cancer care if they are uninsured or underinsured and if they are eligible to participate in their state’s Medicaid program.
New Legislation Expands Access to Clinical Trials
By Matt Devino, MPH
July 14, 2021
Beginning January 2022, CMS will be required to cover for Medicaid patients the routine costs associated with participating in clinical trials. Learn what states and provider organizations can do to leverage this mandate to address barriers to care in the community and reduce inequities in clinical trial participation.
State by State: Advocacy for Patient Access to Quality Cancer Care
By Matt Devino, MPH
June 30, 2021
“State legislators play a significant role when it comes to health insurance oversight, regulation, and innovation.” – National Council of State Legislatures. Learn how oncology state societies are advocating for greater access to fertility preservation services for patients with cancer, including insurance coverage for these services.
New Louisiana Law Bans White Bagging
By Matt Devino, MPH
June 17, 2021
On June 1, 2021, the Governor of Louisiana signed legislation that banned “white bagging” in the state, ensuring that health insurers cannot refuse to pay for approved physician-administered drugs and related services to covered patients. It is the first such law in the United States.
Cancer Survivors Share Their Stories
June 15, 2021
ACCC Raises Awareness for National Black Family Cancer Awareness Week
June 14, 2021
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration's Oncology Center of Excellence, Project Community, has designated June 17 to June 23 as National Black Family Cancer Awareness Week. The week coincides with Juneteenth—an important date in our nation’s history that marks and celebrates the end of slavery in the United States. By participating in the #BlackFamCan social media effort, ACCC is building support and sharing knowledge with key stakeholders about the importance of including Black patients in cancer clinical trials and genetic databases for oncology research to improve access and effect change in cancer care delivery.
Advocacy in Action: Putting Guardrails Around Step Therapy
June 10, 2021
The delivery of the right treatment to the right patient at the right time is a hallmark of quality care. Step therapy applied to oncology can needlessly and dangerously derail a patient's care.
ACCC Virtual Hill Day Brings Together Members, Lawmakers
June 04, 2021
“For me, this experience was excellent, and I felt prepared with the preparation ACCC offered,” said Jared Kast, RT(T), MHA. The successful ACCC Virtual Hill Day—held May 12, 2021—brought together ACCC members and state lawmakers. Learn more about what issues were discussed and members' experiences in this new virtual format.
State by State: Advocacy Advances PBM Reform, Part 2
By Matt Devino, MPH
June 03, 2021
In March, the Wisconsin legislature passed the 2021 Wisconsin Act 9 with overwhelming bipartisan support. Enactment of this PBM reform legislation establishes, for the first time, PBM oversight in Wisconsin.
State by State: Advocacy Advances PBM Reform, Part 1
By Matt Devino, MPH
June 02, 2021
No one disputes the need to rein in U.S. healthcare costs. However, for patients with cancer and the providers who care for them, the increasing burden of prior authorizations, step therapy requirements, and the lack of transparency regarding certain PBM business practices add on costs. Find out what advocates in Tennessee are doing to enact reform at the state level.
New Legislation Aims to Reimburse Essential Pharmacist Services
May 19, 2021
The Pharmacy and Medically Underserved Areas Enhancement Act would give Medicare beneficiaries living in medically underserved communities access to patient care services delivered by their state-licensed pharmacists. ACCC spoke with APhA's Dr. Scott Knoer to learn more about this legislation and how it can help patients.
Bill to Improve Access to Genetic Counseling Introduced in House and Senate
May 06, 2021
In March 2021, ACCC joined other stakeholders in stating our support of the Access to Genetic Counselors Services Act "to update Medicare law and improve access to genetic counselors for Medicare beneficiaries." Now, ACCC is supporting S. 1450, a bill that would authorize CMS to recognize certified genetic counselors as healthcare providers.
Telehealth Legislation at Forefront of ACCC Virtual Hill Day
April 21, 2021
This year's ACCC 2021 Virtual Hill Day, which will take place May 12, will offer ACCC members a new way to experience advocacy trainings, legislative briefings, and Congressional meetings from the comfort of their home or office. This year, ACCC's legislative priorities will focus on the Telehealth Modernization Act and the Safe Step Act of 2021.

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FROM THE ACCCBUZZ BLOG