Legislative Updates

In a recent letter to The Boston Globe, Dr. Eric Wong, former president of the Massachusetts Society of Clinical Oncologists (MSCO), along with several of his esteemed colleagues, responded to the op-ed “A bold blueprint to combat cancer,” which highlighted the ambitious plans for the new Mass General Brigham (MGB) Cancer Center. While the proposal outlines a hopeful vision for the future of cancer care, Dr. Wong pointed out that the reality for many patients and providers is far more complex.

Read more the full letter "For many, cancer care blueprint is still very much in draft phase" to the editor here.

Joining with the Association for Clinical Oncology (ASCO) and 45 other state societies, MSCO signed onto a Congressional letter urging lawmakers to protect our nation's cancer patients by taking steps to mitigate cancer drug shortages.

As you know, ASCO has been advocating for Congress to take action, urging House and Senate leadership to enact the following recommendations:

• Address economic factors that drive generic manufacturers out of the market and consider stabilizing the market with long-term contracts and guaranteed prices.

• Reward reliable U.S. manufacturing of critical and supportive medications through price stabilization and investment in continuous manufacturing or other advanced manufacturing.

• Recognize potential shortages earlier by increasing the FDA’s visibility into the supply chain so the agency can predict and respond to potential shortages earlier.

• Relay information about potential shortages to health systems and providers to help them prepare for and mitigate possible supply challenges.

The Association for Clinical Oncology (ASCO) and many State Societies including MSCO signed onto the Congressional letter in support of the recently reintroduced Improving Seniors' Timely Access to Care Act (H.R. 8702/S. 4532). Please find the official letter that was sent to Congress.

As Congress returns from the August recess, ASCO continues to advocate for Congress to pass the Improving Seniors' Timely Access to Care Act, (H.R. 8702/S. 4532), and you can help in these efforts. Please take a moment to visit the Act Network and provide your support for passage of prior authorization reform. 

The House and Senate were unable to reach agreement on significant policy issues like health care reform prior to the close of the formal legislative session on August 1. While the conclusion of the formal session usually means the end of major policy initiatives for the session, there is talk on Beacon Hill that the legislature will try to resolve their differences and pass important initiatives during the informal sessions which runs until the end of the year. Passage of bills during an informal session can be difficult because it requires unanimous consent. There is also talk of returning for a Special Session to take up an economic development bond bill which requires a roll call vote.

With that in mind, I want to highlight some important health care issues MSCO has monitored during the session which are still pending and, if some compromise can be reached, passage in an informal session is possible. 

Read full report>

Report provided by Edward J. Brennan, Esq., MSCO Legislative Counsel

On July 24, the Massachusetts House unanimously advanced a health care package that includes a provision banning copay accumulators in the state. Since the House amended the bill, which previously passed the Senate in November, a conference committee has been established to resolve the differences between the two versions. The Association for Clinical Oncology and the Massachusetts Society of Clinical Oncology joined a coalition letter urging members of the conference committee and House and Senate leadership to retain the copay accumulator language in the final version.

The Legislature today passed the FY25 State Budget. Included in the budget is the Fertility Preservation language that was originally the free standing bill, S.598, which MSCO has strongly supported. Both the House and Senate in their separate budget bills had included the language. Now the language is before the governor for her approval, which is expected.

A copy of the language is attached here. This language covers commercial insurers. Similar language is in the bill covering all other state regulated health insurance such as BCBS, HMOs, etc. 

Today, we join forces with other organizations in urging Massachusetts legislators to reform Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs). PBMs often keep rebates intended for patients and favor more expensive drugs, driving up costs. With PBMs controlling nearly 80% of the market, it’s crucial to address their practices that often increase patient costs and limit access to essential medications. Our aim is to promote transparency, support community pharmacies, and prioritize patient care. 

Read the full letter and join us in advocating for meaningful change.

We are pleased to announce that MSCO has taken a proactive stance in supporting the Biomarker Bill, which has recently made significant progress in the legislative process.

Key points:

1. The bill was favorably reported out of the Health Care Financing Committee last week.

2. It is currently under review by the House Ways & Means Committee.

3. Our team has sent a letter of support for the bill to Representative Aaron Michlewitz, Chair of the House Ways & Means Committee.

We believe this bill has the potential to positively impact oncology in Massachusetts. We will keep you updated on any further developments.

If you have any questions or would like more information, please don't hesitate to reach out.

We thrilled to let you know that last night the Massachusetts Senate passed the language of our fertility preservation bill as a budget amendment on a 40-0 roll call vote (as it should be!). This is the same language that also passed as a House budget amendment, so this will become law when the final budget is approved. All the individuals and organizations who have supported this legislation know this will lead to much wanted future families after medical struggles so today we celebrate!  

For the first time, April has officially been designated as National Cancer Prevention and Early Detection Month! We had over 80 organizations sign our letter of support of this effort. We are so grateful for each of you for your support! The Prevent Cancer Foundation is proud to have led this effort to spread the word that Early Detection = Better Outcomes. 

Below are a few resources related to this announcement. Please share with your networks far and wide! 

·        Official White House Announcement 

·        Prevent Cancer Foundation Press Release 

·        National Cancer Prevention and Early Detection Month website 

·        Partner Toolkit