Advocacy Aimed at Improving Access and Outcomes in Cancer Care: To address policies and practices that affect patient care and access, each participating oncology state society leads a policy and advocacy program focused on legislation and regulations impacting cancer care. The program has expanded its reach by collaborating with local and national organizations and state lobbyists to prioritize key legislative issues.
The policy program has helped establish a policy communication and learning infrastructure in 15 participating states with over 130 engaged multidisciplinary providers across the US, demonstrating the collective power available to drive meaningful change. By collaborating to address key policy issues, members can have a tangible impact on improving patient care and quality of life for both patients and caregivers.
To learn more about your state’s policy committee, email Lu Anne Bankert at lbankert@accc-cancer.org.
Town Hall Executive Summary
2025 Policy Town Hall
In June 2025, multidisciplinary health care professionals, policy experts, and leaders from oncology state societies convened for the second annual Policy Town Hall to examine how state-level advocacy is shaping the future of cancer care within a complex policy landscape.
This year's discussion highlighted legislative progress and emerging challenges across the country. Topics included:
Gain key insights on how oncology state societies are driving meaningful policy change and shaping equitable, patient-centered cancer care
The Advocacy Engagement Report provides members with comprehensive case studies on issues that galvanized state societies to act. The report documents the specific actions taken by different state policy committees to affect change.
Read the report to:
Engaging in advocacy through our state societies is one of the most direct ways we can have a voice in healthcare policies impacting the care of our patients.
– Haley M. Simpson, MD, PhD
Chair, Policy Committee, Rocky Mountain Oncology Society
At the 2026 ASCO Annual Meeting, the Louisiana Oncology Society received the ASCO Jeffrey C Ward Affiliate Advocacy Award for advancing critical advocacy priorities that have translated into meaningful legislative victories. The Iowa Oncology Society and Washington State Medical Oncology Society were also recognized for their advocacy efforts in 2025 at the meeting, receiving second place awards.
ACCC recently hosted the webinar series, Implementing the New CMS Reimbursement Billing Codes for Patient Navigation Services to inform members about the recent policy changes and what they mean for providers. In implementing the new codes, CMS seeks to enhance the availability of patient navigation services and in turn improve equitable access to cancer care and other types of health care services.
A recent legislation granting senior citizens covered by Medicare access to advanced cancer screenings passes a key milestone in the US House of Representatives.
Explore recent reimbursement changes that seek to reduce disparities in access to cancer care.
In recognition of April as Head and Neck Cancer Awareness Month, ACCCBuzz analyzes insurance coverage for patients with head and neck cancers.
To kick-off #AMCCBS, ACCC members traveled to Capitol Hill for the association’s first in-person Hill Day since 2019.