On Capitol Hill

PBM Accountability Project and CSRO Weigh in on PBM Implementation RFI

On July 20, CSRO and other members of the PBM Accountability Project submitted comments in response to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services' (CMS) Request for Information (RFI) on implementation of the Pharmacy Benefit Manager (PBM) reform provisions of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2026. The PBM Accountability Project applauded the Administration's recent efforts to rein in PBM profiteering to protect patients and providers.

In its comments, the group offered technical insight into defining PBMs and their affiliates for purposes of the law, to prevent unintended loopholes in enforcement. The comments also called on the Agency to require greater transparency and reporting on compensation derived from prescription drug pricing and on intra-entity transfers, to address the growing issues of unfair business practices and vertical integration.

CSRO Raises Concerns with the Biosimilar Red Tape Elimination Act

Ahead of the House Energy and Commerce Committee's July markup of 29 bills, CSRO submitted comments opposing key provisions of the Biosimilar Red Tape Elimination Act. The bill aims to increase patients' access to more affordable biosimilars, but CSRO shared concerns that its scope is too broad, with the proposed elimination of the FDA's interchangeability determination process and the switching studies. CSRO is concerned that the bill could make every approved biosimilar automatically interchangeable without case-by-case review. This could open the door for payers and pharmacists to switch a patient's prescribed drug without physician approval, based solely on cost rather than medical factors — raising the risk of side effects and negative health outcomes. CSRO is calling on Congress to let the FDA keep setting its own rigorous standards for interchangeability rather than removing that safeguard altogether.

Legislation Around the Country

MA: CSRO Pushes for Patient Protections in Sweeping Health Bill

At the end of July, a Massachusetts bill that began as primary care legislation was significantly expanded through a last-minute amendment process, ultimately touching on several CSRO priorities. CSRO moved quickly to weigh in with the full Massachusetts House before the bill was voted on the floor. CSRO submitted comments backing two patient-forward provisions: a ban on copay accumulator adjustment programs, and a requirement that manufacturer drug rebates pass directly to patients rather than being retained by pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs). CSRO also joined a coalition of more than 60 patient advocacy organizations in supporting an amendment to expand patient access to biomarker testing to strengthen precision rheumatology treatment and health outcomes. At the same time, CSRO raised strong concerns about a separate amendment that would expand the 340B drug pricing program in Massachusetts without adding the accountability and transparency measures needed to ensure the program's savings reach patients.

The House passed the bill, and it now moves to a conference committee, where House and Senate negotiators will work to reconcile differences between the chambers before sending a final version to the Governor's desk.

Strengthening Partnerships at the AMA State Advocacy Roundtable

CSRO staff represented the Coalition at the American Medical Association’s (AMA) State Advocacy Roundtable, held August 4–6 in Napa, California. CSRO joined medical society leaders and health care stakeholders from across the country to discuss shared state policy priorities and opportunities for greater collaboration. Attendees learned about the AMA's Advocacy Resource Center (ARC) priority issues and model bills, and heard from health policy experts on emerging issues, including utilization management and payer reform, responsible use of AI in medicine, scope of practice, and medical liability reform.

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

Registration for Day on the Hill is now closed. Participants selected to attend have been notified via email. Please check your inbox for your registration status.

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.