On Capitol Hill

CSRO and 22 State Rheumatology Organizations Weigh in with CMS on the Interoperability Standards and Prior Authorization for Drugs Proposed Rule

Earlier this month, CSRO and 22 state rheumatology organizations submitted formal comments to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) on the Interoperability Standards and Prior Authorization for Drugs Proposed Rule, which aims to improve the electronic prior authorization process for Medicare Advantage organizations, state Medicaid and CHIP programs, and Qualified Health Plan (QHP) issuers on the Federally facilitated Exchanges.

While supporting the rule's intent to make electronic prior authorization more transparent and effective, the organizations urged CMS to address several key provisions. The Coalition’s chief concern was that the rule maintains separate electronic workflows for medical and pharmacy-benefit drugs, creating significant administrative burdens for rheumatology practices; it called for a unified system with consolidated access. The group also opposed the removal of drug formulary information from the Provider Access and Payer-to-Payer APIs. Finally, the organizations urged CMS to pursue future rulemaking to establish a 24-hour decision timeframe for expedited drug-related prior authorization requests across all impacted payers and benefit categories.

CSRO Raises Concerns to the Senate HELP Committee on the Biosimilar Red Tape Elimination Act 

On June 15, CSRO submitted comments to members of the Senate HELP Committee articulating concerns with S. 1954, the Biosimilar Red Tape Elimination Act. While the bill attempts to improve patient access to more cost-effective biosimilars, it does so by eliminating the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) interchangeability determination process and related switching studies. CSRO is concerned about the bill because the Coalition believes that the FDA should continue to maintain unique standards for the interchangeable designation and not automatically make all biosimilars interchangeable, to safeguard patients from inappropriate drug switching and to support clinical decision-making. 

CSRO’s VP, Advocacy & Government Affairs, Madelaine Feldman, MD, FACR, upon learning of the hearing, shared CSRO's proposed amendments with the office of HELP Committee Chairman Bill Cassidy, MD (R-LA). Additionally, she convened a scheduled call with the Chairman’s office to discuss CSRO’s underlying concerns with the bill. An amended version of the bill passed the HELP Committee on June 17.

Legislation Around the Country

IL: CSRO and 16 Organizations Urge Pritzker to Veto 340B Expansion Bill

CSRO and the Chicago Rheumatism Society joined 15 healthcare organizations in sending a letter to Governor Pritzker urging him to veto HB 2371, legislation that would allow greater expansion of 340B contract pharmacies in Illinois. The coalition letter raised concerns over how the 340B program in Illinois has failed to achieve its original purpose of improving access for low-income and vulnerable patient populations. The letter shared data highlighting how the program's expansion has increasingly favored higher-income areas, contributed to rising healthcare costs, and failed to reinvest proportionately in charity care or services for vulnerable populations. The coalition called on the Governor to veto HB 2371 and instead allow the 340B transparency measures in HB 4327 to take effect first, ensuring the current program is working as intended before it is expanded. CSRO submitted its own comments to the Governor's office earlier this month, articulating concerns about the lack of meaningful guardrails in place and the increased risk of healthcare consolidation.

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 - Decoding the “Big Beautiful Bill”: Practical Strategies for Rheumatology Practices: July 1, 2026

Join us for a timely and informative webinar exploring evolving payer strategies—including potential Medicare and Medicaid cuts—and what they could mean for practice sustainability, reimbursement, and patient access. This session is part of our ongoing webinar series, generously supported by Johnson & Johnson.

Register here!

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! 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.