On Capitol Hill

Federal Prior Authorization Reform Bill Gains Momentum in Congress 

Last month, CSRO was pleased to see the Improving Seniors' Timely Access to Care Act (H.R. 3514/S. 1816) reach new legislative milestones. The bill now has 296 cosponsors in the House of Representatives and 70 cosponsors in the Senate – demonstrating strong support in Congress for its advancement. The House Energy and Commerce Committee's Subcommittee on Health voted to advance the bicameral, bipartisan prior authorization legislation during a subcommittee markup on June 25.

CSRO has supported this legislation in the 119th Congress and previous sessions because the bill would require Medicare Advantage (MA) plans to streamline the prior authorization process by establishing an electronic prior authorization program and transparency requirements - reducing administrative burden on rheumatology practices. If enacted, this bill would improve care for more than 35 million seniors, disabled beneficiaries, and veterans enrolled in MA plans. CSRO leadership advocated in person for this priority during last year's Alliance of Specialty Medicine Fly-In and plans to continue advocating for the bill's advancement at this year's Fly-In later this month.

Legislation Around the Country

CA: CSRO Supports Advancement of Prior Authorization Reform Bill

Earlier this month, CSRO submitted comments in support of AB 539, prior authorization reform legislation that was heard by the Senate Committee on Health on July 1. The bill includes continuity-of-care protections that require health plans to keep prior authorizations for healthcare services valid for at least 1 year from the date of approval, or for the duration of the prescribed treatment if it lasts less than a year. In its comments, CSRO also signaled its support for policy that prohibits retroactive denials and their corresponding payment claw backs.

CO: CSRO Cautions PDAB on Patient Access Risks of UPL for Cosentyx and Future Drugs

On June 26, CSRO's VP of Advocacy & Government Affairs, Madelaine Feldman, MD, FACR, testified before the Colorado Prescription Drug Affordability Board (PDAB) during its first rulemaking hearing on an upper payment limit (UPL) for the prescription drug

Cosentyx. Dr. Feldman warned the PDAB that setting a UPL could reduce patients' access to the drug rather than improve it. She explained that a UPL for Cosentyx — or any future medication — would simply lower the drug's list price, making it less attractive for formulary placement by pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs). Unless the Board ensures PBMs can't respond by restricting that placement or raising patient cost-sharing, she warned, patients will end up with reduced access regardless of the lower drug price. CSRO also submitted written comments to the Colorado PDAB in advance of the hearing, further detailing Dr. Feldman’s arguments.

What's Happening in the States

Interested in learning more about CSRO’s engagement in the states? Visit our State Legislation Correspondence page to review the letters submitted to state legislatures on CSRO’s priority issues.

Click above to access CSRO’s new State Legislative Tracker to find the status of CSRO’s priority legislation affecting the rheumatology community and its patients at the state level.

Business of Rheumatology Seminar Series - Building a Clinical Research Program in Community Rheumatology Practice: September 16, 2026

Join us for the September Business of Rheumatology webinar as we discuss how practices can successfully engage in clinical research to improve patient care and support practice growth. This session is part of our ongoing webinar series, with support from Johnson & Johnson.

Register here!

Day on the Hill: October 2, 2026

Join us in Washington D.C. for CSRO's Day on the Hill! The deadline to register is July 31, Register here.

Advocacy Conference: October 2-3, 2026

Join us in Washington, D.C. for CSRO’s flagship Advocacy Conference to learn, network, and strategize around patient access to care. Register here.

Business of Rheumatology Seminar Series - Smart Payer Contracting and Transparency in Coverage: December 2, 2026

Join us for our December Business of Rheumatology webinar to learn how to navigate payer contract negotiations with confidence. This session is part of our ongoing webinar series, generously supported by Johnson & Johnson.

Register here!

Fellows Conference: March 19-20, 2027

Calling all rheumatology fellows! Mark your calendars to join us in San Antonio, TX , for the CSRO annual Fellows Conference.

Sign up for the Registration Launch here!

State Society Conferences:

CSRO's state rheumatology society members host their own annual meetings throughout the year. Find a listing of these state-specific conferences on our website.

Action Center

Use CSRO's convenient online platform to easily find out who your elected officials are and engage with them directly.

Career Center

Locate the perfect fit whether you're looking for new career opportunities or trying to find the right candidate.

Explanatory Statement: “Underwater” Biosimilars

To aid in addressing the issue of "underwater" biosimilars with payers, CSRO has created a document to illustrate the extent of the problem.

Legislative Map Tool

Find your state on our interactive map tool to learn about current or proposed policy and ways you can take action to make an impact.

Payer Issues Reporting Form

Request assistance with any payer relation issues that may be impacting your patients or office.

Policy Correspondence

Easily access all of CSRO’s policy letters submitted to payers, state, and federal governments as an informational resource.

Rheum for Action

Learn about the latest advocacy issues in CSRO's advocacy column authored by Dr. Madelaine Feldman and produced in partnership with Medscape.

Step Therapy Cover Sheets

Review CSRO's state-specific step therapy materials that help guide practices in gaining an exemption from step therapy protocols.

Questions?

Please visit the CSRO website for other news and updates, and do not hesitate to contact us with any questions at info@csro.info.