GO2 for Lung Cancer is taking policy positions in response to proposed legislative and regulatory actions that impact lung cancer patients and survivors.
GO2 Supports Critical Genetic Counseling Services
GO2 urges Congress to include legislation in an end-of-year legislative package that would recognize genetic counselors as providers in the Medicare program, thereby increasing access to critical genetic counseling services.
GO2 Advocates for Full Funding Levels for CDMRP
GO2 pushes Congress to work toward enacting the fiscal year 2025 Defense Appropriations Act, to ensure full funding levels for the Defense Health Research Programs, including the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP).
GO2 Urges Congress to Extend the Telehealth Provision
GO2 pushes Congress to extend the telehealth provision that provides employers the flexibility to offer their employees with a High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP) paired with a Health Savings Account (HSA) access to telehealth services pre-deductible.
GO2 Urges Congress to Enact Commonsense Solutions to Pharmacy Benefit Manager
GO2 encouraged Congress to enact strong pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) transparency and accountability reforms this year.
GO2 Encourages Congress to Act Without Delay to Lower Healthcare Costs for Our Nation’s Families
GO2 encouraged Congress to start and advance pro-consumer reforms to the healthcare system that improve transparency, promote healthy competition, and curb industry abuses in order to lower health care costs for everyone.
GO2 Advances Patient Out-of-Pocket Cost Protections in the HHS Proposed Notice of Benefit and Payment Parameters for 2026
GO2 pushed the tri-departments to protect patients from copay diversion schemes implemented by insurers and pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs)
GO2 Advocates for Lower Patient Out-of-Pocket Costs
GO2 joined other organizations in submitting comments to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) urging them to lower the maximum out-of-pocket limit and requiring insurers and PBMs to include copay assistance payments in calculating an enrollee’s out-of-pocket limit.
GO2 Supports the Protection of Access to Lifesaving Screening
Comments to CMS on Proposed Calendar Year 2025 Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment and Ambulatory Surgical Center Payment Systems
GO2, as a member of the National Health Council (NHC), provided comments to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) in response to the CY 2025 OPPS proposed rule.
GO2 Joins ACS in Advocating for Patient Navigation Services
GO2 joined the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) in submitting comments to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) in response to the principal illness navigation (PIN) provisions of the CY 2025 CMS Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) proposed rule.
GO2 Urges Maryland to Prioritize Patient Voices
GO2 for Lung Cancer joined 38 other patient organizations to strongly urge the Maryland Prescription Drug Affordability Board (PDAB) to prioritize the perspectives of people whose care may be impacted by decisions as it finalizes a Plan of Action for Implementing the Process for Setting Upper Payment Limits.
GO2 Defends Access to Cost-Free Preventive Care
GO2 joined the American Lung Association and others in releasing a statement on the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals’ decision on the Braidwood v. Becerra case. You can learn more about this case on GO2’s Global Knowledge Center.
GO2 Asks CMS to Improve Patient Engagement Process and Capture the Limits of the Quality-Adjusted Life Years (QALY) During the Implementation of the Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program
GO2 for Lung Cancer joined dozens of other patient advocacy organizations in submitting comments to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) focusing on the agency’s process for engaging patients in its decisions, including determinations related to a treatment’s clinical effectiveness, unmet need, and therapeutic alternatives, as well as the agency’s use of value assessments.
GO2 Urges CMS to Protect Patient Access to Personalized Medicine
GO2, as a member of the Personalized Medicine Coalition (PMC), submitted comments to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) regarding CMS’ draft guidance for implementation of the Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program for the initial price applicability year (IPAY) of 2027. Comments urge CMS to take every step possible to prevent, monitor, and correct for potential unintended impacts of the program on patients and the health care system. Comments specifically ask CMS to refine its negotiation process so that it does not disrupt the innovation ecosystem and patient access to personalized medicine.
GO2 Supports Resolution Designating June as Brain & Spine Metastasis Awareness Month
GO2 commits to raising awareness, enhancing education, and improving the lives of people living with cancer that has metastasized to the brain or spine.
GO2 Expresses Staunch Support for Nancy Gardner Sewell Medicare Multi-Cancer Early Detection Screening Coverage Act (MCED)
GO2 expresses staunch support for multi-cancer early detection (MCED) to the Ways and Means Committee. MCED tests screen for many cancer types with just one blood draw and can drastically increase early-stage lung cancer diagnoses, when the disease is most treatable.
GO2 Comments on Revised Rule Governing Use of Copay Accumulator Adjustment Programs
GO2 urges the U.S. Department of Labor, U.S. Department of Treasury, and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to ensure that any revision of the cost-sharing rule related to copay accumulator adjustment policies includes clear, commonsense protections guaranteeing that copayments made by or on behalf of an enrollee are counted as payments toward their annual cost-sharing contributions.
GO2 Advocates for Increased Lung Cancer Research Program Funding
Since 2009, GO2 for Lung Cancer has secured congressional appropriations to fund the Lung Cancer Research Program (LCRP). This year, thanks to GO2’s leadership in advocacy, we continued that work, achieving unsurpassed bipartisan support to increase research funding. GO2 secured the highest number of bipartisan Congressional supporters, with 53 co-signers on the funding request letter led by Representative Brendan Boyle and 21 co-signers on Senators Jack Reed and Michael Rounds’ letter.
The LCRP is critical to the lung cancer community. It aims to eradicate deaths and suffering from lung cancer to better the health and welfare of service members, veterans, and the general public. The LCRP is within the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program (CDMRP), administered by the Department of Defense.
Early in June, the House Appropriations Committee on Defense approved its bill and released a report accompanying its version of the FY2025 Defense Appropriations Act. The House Committee has provided flat funding for all CDMRP funding lines. This means the Lung Cancer Research Program will receive an additional $25 million, the same as this year.
The Senate still needs to act on its version of the FY2025 Defense Appropriations Bill, which may allow room for further negotiations. GO2 will continue to lead advocacy for an increase in the lung cancer program throughout the appropriations process.
GO2 Urges USPSTF and CMS to Update Lung Cancer Screening Criteria to Include 5 Million More Lives
GO2 for Lung Cancer, American College of Radiology (ACR), and The Society of Thoracic Surgeons submitted formal comments to the United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) urging they align lung cancer screening eligibility criteria with the recently published evidence-based guidelines by the American Cancer Society (ACS) and the National Comprehensive Care Network (NCCN).
The joint society letters emphasized the need to eliminate exclusion criteria based on the number of years since quitting smoking and the upper age limits for lung cancer screening (age 77 for CMS and age 80 for USPSTF). Both the ACS and NCCN screening guidelines expanded the screening eligibility criteria, estimated to capture an additional five million lives at higher risk for lung cancer. Given the recent evidence, along with the magnitude of impact and the number of lives at risk, GO2 urged CMS and USPSTF to prioritize and expedite their review of low-dose CT lung cancer screening.
We will continue to monitor the CMS and USPSTF responses as they evaluate our request and the current body of evidence.
GO2 Calls on Congress to Improve the Nation’s Public Health System
GO2 implores Congress to improve the nation’s public health system, strengthen the workforce, and protect the health of our communities.
GO2 Urges Congress to Finalize FY24 Appropriations and Adopt the Bipartisan Senate Funding Framework as a Starting Point for Final Negotiations
GO2 calls on Congress to finish the FY24 appropriations process and urge Congressional leadership to adopt the bipartisan appropriations approach the Senate pursued in July as an example of the bipartisanship our community expects to ensure the programs, they rely on are funded in a manner that allows them to provide the services they need.
GO2 Urges Stronger Enforcement Against Unauthorized E-Cigarettes
GO2 urges the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), its enforcement partners at the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), and the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), to use all the enforcement tools at their disposal against manufacturers, distributors, wholesalers, and retailers to clear the market of unauthorized e-cigarette products, including flavored products that put young people at risk for nicotine addiction and other significant health harms.
Urging CMS to Enhance the Extra Help Program
GO2 for Lung Cancer joined the National Council on Aging and other patient coalitions to submit comments to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to request that CMS take several steps to enhance access to effective financial help through the Low-Income Subsidy (LIS or “Extra Help”) program. Specifically, the comments request CMS:
- Increase the availability of LIS benchmark plans that have no premium cost for those with LIS by increasing the de minimis threshold;
- Test intelligent assignment of LIS beneficiaries to $0 premium LIS benchmark plans; and
- Test sending the Chooser’s Notice to all LIS beneficiaries paying a premium.
Cycle Year 2025 Part D Redesign Program Guidance
GO2 joined other organizations to provide CMS with comments regarding the CMS’ request for feedback on the draft contract year (CY) 2025 Part D redesign program. Feedback focused on how CMS should 1) evaluate meaningful differences between basic and enhanced standalone prescription drugs plans (PDPs) to help Part D beneficiaries understand the choices offered by a plan sponsor, and 2) protect access and minimize affordability challenges for beneficiaries in the broader Part D redesign.
Comments on HHS Notice of Benefit and Payment Parameters for 2025 Proposed Rule
GO2 for Lung Cancer joined several other organizations and coalitions to submit comments to CMS supporting the codification of the 2025 Notice of Benefit and Payment Parameters (NBPP) proposed rule regarding prescription drugs as essential health benefits.
Medicare Prescription Payment Plan Model Documents
GO2 for Lung Cancer joined dozens of other patient support coalitions and organizations in writing comments to CMS regarding the model documents for the implementation of the Medicare Prescription Payment Plan program, set to take effect for Contract Year (CY) 2025. Comments specifically focused on the following MPPP model documents:
- Election approval notice
- Election request
- Initial notice of failure to pay
- Voluntary removal notice
- Likely to benefit
- Removal for failure to pay
Urging Congress to Prioritize Women’s Health
GO2 joined more than 1,000 individuals and patient advocacy groups in a letter to Congress urging support to significantly increase funding and initiatives that will advance women’s health in five FY2025 appropriations bills. The letter highlights that, despite improvements in increasing diversity and inclusion in clinical trials, significant challenges for women with certain diseases remain. This includes the increase in non-smoking related lung cancers among women while dropping for men.
Supporting the Senate Finance Committee’s Draft Outline on the Medicare Drug Shortage Prevention and Mitigation Program
GO2 provided feedback on the Senate Finance Committee’s draft outline on the Medicare Drug Shortage Prevention and Mitigation Program which incentivizes hospitals and other providers, as well as supply-chain participants, to meet quality standards that drive reliability and predictability, to prevent and mitigate shortages in generic sterile injectables (GSIs).
Urging Finalization of the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA’s) Rules on Menthol and Flavored Cigars
GO2 submitted a letter to the White House imploring the finalization of the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA’s) proposed rules on eliminating menthol as a characterizing flavor in cigarettes and all characterizing flavors in cigars.
Requesting a Meeting with the Assistant Secretary of Housing to Discuss FHA Policy on Radon
GO2 requested a meeting to discuss expanding the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) policy to alert homebuyers throughout the US at the time of purchase to the danger of radon in homes and the necessity of testing for radon.
Requesting a Meeting with the Assistant Secretary of Housing to Discuss FHA Policy on Radon
GO2 requested a meeting to discuss expanding the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) policy to alert homebuyers throughout the US at the time of purchase to the danger of radon in homes and the necessity of testing for radon.
Ensuring FY24 Tobacco-Related Appropriations Issues Are Met
GO2 urges Congress to ensure that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) retains its full authority to oversee tobacco products and that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) receives the necessary resources to protect kids from tobacco products and reduce tobacco-related disease.
Rejecting Calls for Cuts to NDD Appropriations
GO2 calls on Congress to reject cuts to NDD appropriations and instead set funding for fiscal year 2024 at a level that recognizes both rising costs and the need for investment in programs important to fostering economic growth and meeting human needs.
Urging Congress to Prioritize CDC Funding
GO2 urges Congress to prioritize CDC funding and to reject any cuts or damaging policy riders related to the agency’s programs in any final FY 2024 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies appropriations bill.
Urging Finalization of Menthol and Flavored Cigar Rules
GO2 joined 22 other organizations in imploring the finalization of the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA’s) proposed rules on eliminating menthol as a characterizing flavor in cigarettes and all characterizing flavors in cigars.
Congratulating Dr. Bertagnolli on confirmation as Director of the National Institutes of Health
GO2 congratulates Dr. Bertagnolli on the approval of her nomination to be the next Director of the National Institutes of Health.
Comments on CMS transitional coverage for emerging technologies notice
GO2 joined The American Clinical Laboratory Association in writing comments addressed to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) concerning potential Medicare beneficiary access concerns with a draft local coverage determination (LCD), Genetic Testing for Oncology, that was released by two Medicare Administrative Contractors (MACs): Novitas (DL39365) and FCSO (DL39367). Comments submitted were focused on the following issues:
- Inclusion of diagnostic laboratory test nominations for the TCET pathway.
- Sharing Evidence Previews with Medicare Administrative Contractors (MACs).
- Coverage of “similar devices.”
- Coding and payment for emerging technologies.
Open Enrollment Guide
GO2 joined MAPRx to co-sponsor the 2024 Open Enrollment Guide. We hope you will find it helpful to understand the Medicare Part D open enrollment process.
Support the Decision to Vacate the Notice of Benefits and Payment Parameters (NBPP)
GO2 joined dozens of other patient advocacy groups to write Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Department of Labor to express support of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia’s recent decision to vacate the provision of the Trump-era 2021 Notice of Benefits and Payment Parameters (NBPP) allowing commercial market health plans to implement so-called “copay accumulator adjustment policies.” The letter also urges HHS to quickly issue guidance clarifying to health insurance issuers that they must follow the copay assistance provision included in the 2020 NBPP and, further, that they must inform enrollees subject to a copay accumulator adjustment policy of this change.
Urging the Enactment of the 2024 Defense Appropriations Act
GO2 emphasizes the importance of enacting the fiscal year 2024 Defense Appropriations Act. Failure to enact the Defense Appropriations Act this year will have major negative health implications for millions of Americans.
Supporting the Expansion of Telehealth Accessibility
GO2 urged the U.S. Senate to support the passage of the Telehealth Expansion Act of 2023 and remain committed to the consideration of permanent telehealth access policies.
Commenting on the House Budget Committee Health Care Task Force’s Request for Information (RFI) Response on Reducing Healthcare Costs
GO2 provided comments to the House Budget Committee Health Care Task Force’s RFI. The comments were feedback to the Health Care Task Force’s request for solutions to improve health outcomes and reduce federal healthcare spending in the budget.
Comments to CMS on Proposed Calendar Year 2024 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule
GO2 joined over 40 other patient advocacy groups to write to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to provide recommendations on the Calendar Year (CY) 2024 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) proposed rule. Comments provided feedback and recommendations on the proposed CY 2024 Conversion Factor, Caregiver Training, Principal Illness Navigation Services, Evaluation and Management (E/M) Services, Behavioral Health, Telehealth, and Heard and Understood in MIPS. A background on palliative care was also provided to CMS.
Support for the Transitional Coverage for Emerging Technologies (TCET)
GO2 joined various organizations to write to CMS to support the Transitional Coverage for Emerging Technologies (TCET) pathway set forth by CMS and share concerns. The TCET pathway is an effort by CMS to expedite patient access to medical products designated as breakthrough devices and authorized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Patient organizations, including GO2 for Lung Cancer, are concerned that the limited number and scope of technologies eligible for the proposed TCET pathway could stifle the potential of personalized medicine to improve patient care at a time of rapid progress. Therefore, we urge CMS to accept more than five TCET pathway candidates per year and remove its limitation, excluding most diagnostic tests from eligibility.
Advocating for Financial Relief for Medicare Enrollees
GO2 joined MAPRx and other groups in submitting comments to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) regarding the implementation of the Medicare Prescription Payment Plan program set to take effect for Contract Year (CY) 2025. Comments submitted provide CMS guidance and feedback on how CMS intends to implement the Medicare Prescription Payment Plan. This program will help ease beneficiary financial burdens for medications by making out-of-pocket (OOP) costs more manageable and predictable through monthly payments.
Endorsing the Helping Tobacco Users Quit Act
GO2 endorses legislation that will ensure that all Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) enrollees have access to the full array of evidence-based tobacco cessation treatments, including all Food and Drug Administration (FDA)- approved medications.
Urge CMS to Improve the Prior Authorization Process
GO2 joined the Haystack Project to submit comments to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services on the proposed rule on Advancing Interoperability and Improving Prior Authorization Processes. CMS’ proposed policy refinements have the potential to provide enormous value to patients and their treating clinicians. Comments submitted encourage CMS to refine the proposed rule to ensure that healthcare coverage and benefits are conferred equally to individuals regardless of their race, financial resources, healthcare needs, or the rarity of their health condition(s).
Respond to Comment Request from CMS Regarding the Medicare Part D Plan Redesign Under the IRA
GO2 joined MAPRx to submit comments to the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services (CMS) to provide a patient-focused perspective on key features, such as the meaningful differences policy, the drug negotiation program, defined cost-sharing thresholds, tiering models, and broader Part D benefit concerns. Comments submitted urge CMS to facilitate patient voices being heard and emphasized throughout the negotiation and redesign process.
Recommending Changes to the Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Program’s Low-Income Subsidy (LIS) or “Extra Help” Program
GO2 joined the National Council on Aging and the Patient Access Network (PAN) Foundation to send comments to CMS on increasing access to the Medicare Part D Low-Income Subsidy (LIS). The letter identifies a range of non-legislative action steps that CMS can take to better enable low-income beneficiaries to afford the prescription drugs they need.
Avoiding Cuts to the Prevention and Public Health Fund (Prevention Fund)
GO2 urged the Committee on Health, Education, Labor & Pensions to avoid funding cuts to the Prevention Fund.
Proposing Coverage of Indirect Costs Incurred by Patients in Clinical Trials
GO2 joined several patient advocacy groups in writing to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (“OIG”) to propose a new regulatory safe harbor to the federal health care program anti-kickback statute. This regulatory proposal would create a safe harbor for non-medical, or indirect, cost financial support of clinical trials and emphasize it as important to realizing the government’s goal of increasing trial diversity.
Advocating for Medicare Recipient Benefits
GO2 joined MAPRx Coalition and other patient-focused groups in submitting comments to CMS on key plan design features to the new Part D benefit design starting in 2025. Comments submitted to CMS focus on issues such as the meaningful differences policy, cost-sharing thresholds, differences between basic and enhanced standalone prescription drug plans (PDPs), and tiering models under the new benefit.
Protecting Coverage for Preventive Services
GO2 joined 51 other patient advocacy groups to thank the Department of Justice for requesting a stay in the ruling of the Braidwood v. Becerra case, which threatens coverage of U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommended preventive services without cost sharing as required under the Affordable Care Act (ACA).
Improving Access to Prescription Medications
GO2 joined MAPRx and other patient advocacy groups in submitting comments to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) regarding the implementation of the Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program (MDPNP) for initial price applicability year (IPAY) 2026. Comments submitted emphasized the need for patient input to maintain oversight and explore necessary program changes effectively.
Building National Support for Women and Lung Cancer
GO2, along with over 20 national women’s, medical and public health organizations, wrote a letter urging Congress to advance the Women and Lung Cancer Research and Preventive Services Act of 2023 (H.R. 4534/S. 2245). This bicameral and bipartisan legislation requires an interagency review to evaluate research on women and lung cancer, improve how women are given access to lung cancer preventive services, and conduct public awareness campaigns on lung cancer.
Protecting Patient Care and Access
GO2 joined other advocacy groups to request a 60-day extension of the public comment period to examine the proposed guidelines in the regulatory guide, Release of Patient Administered Radioactive Material. This extension would allow the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging to determine the guide’s potential effects on patient care and access.
Putting Patients First and Protecting Coverage of Treatments
GO2 joined the Partnership to Improve Patient Care (PIPC) and several other patient advocacy groups to provide The Institute for Clinical and Economic Review (ICER) feedback on the changes proposed for its 2024 Value Assessment Framework. Comments submitted urge ICER to put patients and people with disabilities at the center of its assessments instead of giving payers justification to create barriers to coverage of treatments.
Endorsing the Comprehensive Cancer Survivorship Act
GO2 endorses the House and Senate versions of the Comprehensive Cancer Survivorship Act which will provide a lifeline to survivors and their families by addressing the entire survivorship continuum of care for this deadly disease is an important step in improving comprehensive cancer care.
Protecting Patient Access and Quality Care for Medicare Beneficiaries
GO2 joined the Part B Access for Seniors and Physicians (ASP) Coalition letter, urging Congress to protect patient access and quality care for Medicare beneficiaries by keeping providers whole in Medicare’s drug price negotiation process and removing them from the middle of this negotiation process.
Opposition to Efforts That Would Weaken FDA’S Current Authority to Oversee Tobacco Products
GO2 joined a coalition of nonprofit and public health organizations to urge the House Appropriations Committee chairs to reject any efforts to narrow, weaken, or modify FDA’s current authority to oversee tobacco products during consideration of the FY 2024 Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations bill.
Requesting Senate Confirmation of President Biden’s Nomination for Director of the National Institutes of Health
GO2 joined other nonprofit organizations in support of President Biden’s nomination of Dr. Monica Bertagnolli as director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
Continuing Annual Funding Growth for the National Institutes of Health (NIH)
GO2 and the Ad Hoc Group for Medical Research urge lawmakers to continue to support patients and discovery, to ensure a funding allocation for the Labor-HHS Subcommittee that allows for the necessary investment in NIH and other agencies that promote the health of our nation, and to work expeditiously to complete FY 2024 appropriations in a timely manner.
Requested That House Increase Funding for Defense Health Research Programs
GO2 joined in advocacy to request that the House support increasing the appropriation for defense health research programs by five percent plus inflation in the FY 2024 Defense Appropriations Act.
Requested That Senate Increase Funding for Defense Health Research Programs
GO2 joined in advocacy to request that the Senate support increasing the appropriation for defense health research programs by five percent plus inflation in the FY 2024 Defense Appropriations Act.
Opposition to Appropriations Policy Riders & Cuts to Public Health Funding
We have joined with several public health, medical, and patient advocacy organizations in opposition to adding policy riders to appropriations bills and the steep funding reductions both in the Fiscal Responsibility Act and beyond that the House has proposed to non-defense appropriations.
More Funding Proposed to Speed Access to Critical Preventive Services
We’ve written to thank the president for including an increase of $6.5 million in his FY 2024 budget proposal to support the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF). The additional funding will go a long way in improving the USPSTF’s process, augmenting its staffing, and expediting patient access to critical clinical preventive services. Increased funding will also allow the USPSTF to increase stakeholder engagement, enhance transparency, and improve the ongoing scientific review process to ensure recommendations better reflect evidence on health inequities.
Protecting Access to Preventive Services
We have joined with other leading health groups in an amicus brief supporting the U.S. Department of Justice’s request for the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals to issue a stay in Braidwood v. Becerra. This litigation threatens coverage of preventive services without cost sharing as required under the Affordable Care Act (ACA). For more information, click here.
Support for Robust Federal Health Research Funding for FY 2024
We’re asking Congress for a $3.645 billion increase in funding for the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Appropriating at least $50.924 billion for FY 2024 would allow NIH to continue its important biomedical, behavioral, social and population-based research to improve our understanding of fundamental life and health sciences and to convert the hope of improved health into a reality for patients and their families.
Opposition to Proposal that Would Weaken Public Health
We’re asking Congress to strongly oppose the REINS Act—a legislative proposal introduced in the House and Senate that would require Congress to approve all major rules issued by federal agencies within a 70-day window. The measure, if enacted, would unilaterally weaken the implementation of public health and safety safeguards, including rules that are statutorily required to prevent deaths, illness and injury and to protect the public health.
Funding the Lung Cancer Research Program in FY 2023
We have joined with other Defense Health Research Consortium members to call on congressional leaders to push for passage of Department of Defense appropriations for fiscal year 2023. The measure includes funding for the Lung Cancer Research Program. Failure to fund this program would stall or eliminate “the critical development of new and more effective therapies that lower costs and save lives” and “interrupt important pipelines that have allowed investigators at U.S. medical research institutions to build careers and act on new and innovative medical research ideas.”
Supporting An Increase in NIH Funding
We are urging House and Senate Appropriations Committee chairs to act now to pass an overall FY23 funding bill that includes much-needed increases in budgets for the National Institutes of Health and other government research agencies. The letter notes that in 2022 alone, “the return on federal and private sector research investment is evident in the development of a next generation of mRNA technology, a novel drug therapy for treatment of type 2 diabetes, and countless other medical advances.”
More Funding to Improve Access to Lifesaving Technologies
We are urging the administration to increase funding for the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) in order to speed up the task force’s ability to review and recommend adoption of critical new technologies. Doing so would pave the way for faster deployment of new technologies with the potential to improve primary care, advance greater equity, increase access to screening and save lives.
Making Less-Addictive Tobacco Products
We’re supporting a proposed rule by the Food and Drug Administration requiring companies to reduce the nicotine levels in cigarettes and other combustible tobacco products to minimally or non-addictive levels. Such as standard “would generate massive public health benefits, preventing millions of young people from smoking and dramatically reducing the number of people who die from tobacco-caused diseases.”
Coverage for Comprehensive Biomarker Testing
We’ve urged California Governor Gavin Newsom to sign legislation that would require coverage for comprehensive biomarker testing. The measure would align insurance coverage with the latest medical evidence and remove barriers to ensure that patients can unlock the value and cost-saving potential of precision medicine.
Keeping Telehealth Policies in Place
We’re urging the Senate to act now to pass a two-year extension of the telehealth policies enacted at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Access to telehealth has been transformational, and retaining it will improve patient access to high-quality care and strengthen continuity of care.
Saving Access to Clinical Lab Services
We’re urging Congress to support legislation to protect access to the most common laboratory tests that American patients depend on. The measure would achieve this by updating Medicare’s payment system for laboratory services, ensuring that America’s laboratory infrastructure is equipped to support the full range of testing that patients need.
Funding Health Research for FY23
We’re urging Congress to take action now on Fiscal Year 2023 appropriations as a timely investment in research and innovation is critical to our future.
Strengthening Palliative Care Programs
We’re asking the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions to advocate for and support legislation that would increase federal funding for palliative care and establish palliative care education and training programs for doctors, nurses, and other health professionals. We strongly support early palliative care as it has been shown to extend survival with a high quality of life.
Federal Support for Lung Cancer Research
We’re urging the House and Senate appropriations committees to support $60 million in funding for the Lung Cancer Research Program to allow for greater federal investments in research to advance critically needed novel treatments to fight lung cancer. We’re also urging timely enactment of the appropriations measures in order to ensure increased funding for lung cancer and health research programs.
New Health Benefits for Veterans Exposed to Toxic Substances
We’re pleased that the PACT Act has been enacted, providing needed care and benefits to veterans who have been exposed to toxic substances. GO2 had urged the Senate to act expeditiously, as “for the first time in the nation’s history, the act will cover a wide range of cancers and respiratory illnesses as presumptive conditions and streamline the process for veterans to obtain VA benefits for injuries from burn pits and other toxic exposures by removing the burden of proof from the veteran.
Support for Expanded Lung Cancer Screening
We’ve written to express strong support for the Multi-Cancer Early Detection Screening Coverage Act. Increasing access to multi-cancer early detection (MCED) tests has the potential to dramatically increase the lung cancer survival rate by catching the disease earlier–when it is more treatable and even curable.
Protecting Disadvantaged & Underserved Populations
We’re asking Congress to extend the Affordable Care Act’s ban on the use of quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) in making Medicare decisions. We’re also asking that any legislation include a provision to allow meaningful input from patients and other affected stakeholders.
Capping Drug Costs Under Medicare
We’re urging the Senate to improve access to prescription medications under Medicare Part D and safeguard the well-being of Medicare beneficiaries with chronic diseases and disabilities. Specifically, we’re asking the Senate to enact legislation to create an out-of-pocket cap on costs, strengthen the Low-Income Subsidy program, and eliminate cost-sharing for Part D vaccines.
Expanding Access to Cancer Care
We’re calling on Congress to enact legislation that addresses cancer care affordability. We’re specifically asking Congress to permanently extend expanded Affordable Care Act subsidies, permanently fix the Medicaid coverage gap, and enact a cap on out-of-pocket costs for Medicare Part D beneficiaries.
Strengthening Nonprofit Organizations
We’ve joined with nonprofit organizations from across the country to urge Congress to enact legislation that would strengthen collaboration between the federal and nonprofit sectors. The aim is to better coordinate public-charitable activities to enable GO2 for Lung Cancer and other nonprofits to better serve our communities.
Improving Diversity in Clinical Trials
We’re urging Congress to make real and meaningful reforms to improve the diversity of enrollment in clinical trials. We note that trials need to represent the diversity of individuals with a given disease. We also note that clinical trials should be available to all patients who qualify, “including those who experience barriers to care and/or those who are from underrepresented communities.”
Increasing NIH Funding
We’ve joined with the Ad Hoc Group for Medical Research to request increased funding in FY 2023 for the National Institutes of Health (NIH). We’re also urging lawmakers to support the president’s proposal to supplement the NIH budget with additional mandatory funding to speed the pace of pandemic response and readiness.
Providing Health Benefits for Veterans Exposed to Toxic Substances
We’re asking the Senate to move quickly to pass legislation providing needed care and benefits to veterans who have been exposed to toxic substances. And we’ve joined with veterans and military groups to offer our strong support for the bill. The Honoring Our PACT Act passed the House on March 3 with bipartisan support.
Banning Menthol Cigarettes and Other Flavored Tobacco Products
We’re asking the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to issue product standards ending the manufacture and sale of flavored tobacco products. In advocating for the ban, GO2 for Lung Cancer and dozens of other organizations point to the FDA’s own finding that “the availability of tobacco products with flavors… attracts youth to initiate use of tobacco products and may result in lifelong use.”
Improving Care for Veterans Exposed to Toxic Substances
We are calling on the House of Representatives to expeditiously pass the Honoring Our Pact Act, which provides a comprehensive solution that gives veterans exposed to toxic substances the health care and benefits they need and deserve.
Ending Cancer As We Know It
We’re supporting President Biden’s announcement to reignite the Cancer Moonshot and urging Congress to increase investments to reduce the deadly impact of cancer, advance equitable care, and improve patient experiences in diagnosis, treatment and survival of cancer.
Embracing the Broad Adoption of Telehealth
We are urging Congress to extend the waivers that enabled broad adoption of telehealth during the pandemic. At the same time, we are cautioning lawmakers against including any legislative provisions that would create barriers to access, including for laboratory testing.
A Pathway to Permanent Telehealth Reform
We’re advocating for comprehensive telehealth reform to improve long-term access to high-quality care and ensure that the virtual care flexibilities put in place during the COVID-19 pandemic remain a permanent component of the U.S. health care delivery system.
Support for Better Use of Patient Experience Data
We’ve written to express our support for provisions in the recently introduced Cures 2.0 Act that would support the collection and use of patient experience data. Having a consistent process that standardizes the collection, submission, and consideration of patient experience data will provide more robust information to better understand and address the full range of patients’ needs and concerns.
Expanding Lung Cancer Screening Under Medicare
We have asked the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to move quickly to expand its screening criteria for lung cancer, including to the most vulnerable and underserved.
Improving Lung Cancer Screening Coverage
We have submitted recommendations to CMS to improve the next iteration of the Medicare lung cancer screening coverage requirements. Our recommendations build on earlier efforts by GO2 for Lung Cancer and other organizations to further improve early detection of lung cancer and foster equitable care.
Support for Dr. Richard Carliff for FDA Commissioner
We’re urging Senate leaders to confirm Dr. Richard Carliff to be FDA Commissioner.
CDC Funding is Critical to a Strong Public Health Infrastructure
We’re asking Members of Congress to support a minimum of $10.5 billion in funding for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention programs in the FY 2022 budget. We note that strong and expeditious funding of the agency is critical to supporting all of the CDC’s activities and programs, which are essential to protect the health of our communities.
Improving Access to Clinical Trials
We’re urging members of Congress to support legislation that would remove barriers to access that keep certain racial and ethnic groups, older adults, rural residents, and those with limited incomes from being appropriately represented in clinical trials—and make it easier for all patients to participate.
More Money for Tobacco Cessation Program
We’re asking the Administration to prioritize and advocate for provisions in the FY 2023 budget to reduce tobacco use (which is the leading cause of preventable deaths in the U.S.).
Capping Prescription Drug Costs
We’re urging members of the House of Representatives and the Senate to establish an out-of-pocket cap to limit the amount that Medicare beneficiaries have to pay for covered prescription drugs.
Decreasing Youth E-Cigarette Use
We’re urging members of the House of Representatives to support legislation that would levy a tax on the nicotine used in e-cigarettes. Tobacco taxes have proven to be an effective way to reduce the use of other tobacco products—and creating a federal e-cigarette tax is an appropriate response to widespread youth use.
Increasing Tobacco Excise Taxes
We’re urging members of Congress to support the Tobacco Tax Equity Act of 2021, which would increase the federal excise tax on cigarettes and set federal tax rates for other tobacco products at an equivalent rate. The proposed legislation is based on the evidence that raising tobacco prices is one of the most effective ways to reduce tobacco use, especially among youth.
Improving Affordability of Medications Under Medicare
We have asked Congress to improve the affordability of prescription medications under Medicare by creating caps on out-of-pocket costs for participants.
Protecting Families from Cancer-Causing Radon Gas
We are supporting adoption of the EPA’s recommended multifamily radon standards to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to live in a healthy environment free from unsafe levels of cancer-causing radon gas.
Enabling Patient Experience Data to Inform Drug Development
We are supporting newly added language in the draft 21st Century Cures Act that would provide a clear and consistent mechanism to enable collection and reporting of patient experience data in order to best inform the drug development process.
Patient Access to Medications during Public Emergencies
We are urging the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions to incorporate provisions in public health emergency preparedness legislation to ensure patients, regardless of their insurance coverage status, have an extra supply of medication on hand to plan for known emergencies. In addition, we are urging that when an emergency is declared health plans be required to facilitate timely and consistent access to medications.
Making Telehealth Options Permanent for Medicare Beneficiaries
We are urging House and Senate leaders to advance permanent telehealth reforms to ensure that Medicare beneficiaries can continue to access care when and where they need it.
Proposed New Agency to Focus on Breakthroughs in Cancer
We’re supporting President Biden’s proposal to establish a new Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H) to develop breakthroughs in diseases like cancer, Alzheimer’s, and diabetes. We have also written a separate letter in response to specific questions regarding potential ARPA-H areas of focus and funding. In addition, we’ve signed onto One Voice Against Cancer’s recommendations on ARPH-A funding and priorities in letters to executive branch and congressional leaders. Finally, we have also joined the Deadliest Cancers Coalition in “enthusiastically supporting the creation of ARPH-A.”
Proposed New Agency to Focus on Breakthroughs in Cancer
We’re supporting President Biden’s proposal to establish a new Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H) to develop breakthroughs in diseases like cancer, Alzheimer’s, and diabetes. We have also written a separate letter in response to specific questions regarding potential ARPA-H areas of focus and funding.
Removing Barriers to Biomarker Testing
We’re supporting legislation in the California legislature to remove barriers to biomarker testing and urging the Assembly Health Committee to amend the bill to ensure access for all patients.
Improving Access to Telehealth
We’re supporting the Telemental Health Care Access Act, legislation that would remove barriers to patient access to telehealth mental and behavioral services under Medicare.
Recognizing National Cancer Research Month
We’ve joined with other organizations to thank Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) and Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) for their Senate resolution recognizing May as National Cancer Research Month. Save
Women and Lung Cancer
We’re writing to express strong support for the Women and Lung Cancer Preventive Services Act of 2021 and deep appreciation to Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) and Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Representatives Brendan Boyle (D-PA) and Brain Fitzpatrick (R-PA) for their support.
Funding for Consumer Assistance Programs
We’re supporting critical CAPs funding to help consumers navigate health care insurance options and resolve billing and coverage disputes.
Making Health Care Equitable and Affordable
We’re calling on Congress and the White House to ensure the next federal recovery package includes a transformational health care bill.
Prohibiting Menthol Cigarettes
We’ve joined the Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids Coalition to urge the FDA to prohibit menthol cigarettes and other non-tobacco flavored tobacco products, including e-cigarettes and cigars.
Support for Access to Cancer Biomarker Testing
We’re supporting California Senate Bill 535, which would remove barriers to cancer biomarker testing and make it simpler for cancer patients to access this important test.
Support for Critical NIH Funding
We’re urging Congress to appropriate $46.11 billion in FY 2022 for the National Institutes of Health, including $3.94 billion for the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.
Updating Lung Cancer Screening Guidelines
We’ve joined with The Society of Thoracic Surgeons and the American College of Radiology to ask the top five national private insurance companies–—Aetna, Anthem, Cigna, Health Care Services Corporation, and United Healthcare—to expeditiously update their lung cancer screening policies to align with the new guidelines.
Support for the TEAM Act
We’re supporting the Toxic Exposure in the American Military Act, which would change how the VA addresses toxic exposures-related illnesses of veterans. See our letters of support to the sponsors of S. 927 / H.R. 2127: Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC), Senator Maggie Hassan (D-NH), House Representative Mike Bost (R-IL).
Benefits for Veterans Exposed to Burn Pits
We’re supporting The Presumptive Benefits for War Fighters Exposed to Burn Pits and Other Toxins Act of 2021, which would provide presumptive VA benefits to service members who have deployed and have illnesses due to exposure to burn pits and other toxins.
Expanding Medicare Coverage of Cancer Screening
We’re urging Congress to pass the Medicare Multi-Cancer Early Detection Screening Coverage Act to allow CMS to expand Medicare coverage to blood-based multi-cancer early detection tests and other new technologies that may be approved by the FDA.
Expanding Lung Cancer Screening Criteria
We’re urging the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to expand its lung cancer screening criteria by lowering the start age and smoking history criteria.
Support for Critical CDC Funding
We’re urging Congress to appropriate at least $10 billion in FY 2022 to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to protect the health of the American people.
Priority Access to COVID-19 Vaccines
We’ve signed a letter to the Biden administration highlighting the importance of prioritizing patients with active cancer and survivors of cancer when administering COVID-19 vaccines.
Access to Vital Prescription Medicines
We’ve signed a litter to the HHS Secretary, the Biden administration, and policy makers asking them to retain vital coverage to all drugs within six protected classes.
Prioritizing Cancer Patients in COVID-19 Vaccine Planning
We’ve signed onto a draft letter requesting that cancer patients receive prioritization above that of the general public during the COVID-19 vaccination planning process.