CSRO sent a letter to the Senate HELP Committee Chairman, Sen. Bill Cassidy, MD (R-LA), and the Ranking Member, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), outlining concerns about the reintroduced S. 1954, the Biosimilar Red Tape Elimination Act. This bill aims to improve patient access to lower-cost biosimilars by eliminating the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) interchangeability process and the need for corresponding switching studies. CSRO is concerned about the bill's broad scope, fearing it may lead to unintended safety risks for patients. The proposal would allow biosimilars to be designated as interchangeable without additional evaluation, which could undermine physicians' roles in substituting complex biologic therapies. While CSRO appreciates the goal of enhancing the biosimilar market, it believes the policy provisions in the bill could weaken FDA oversight and the standards for biosimilar interchangeability, ultimately harming patients.

350 Healthcare Groups Press Congressional Leaders to Make Medicare Telehealth Services Permanent

On August 11, CSRO joined a coalition letter led by the Alliance for Connected Care, urging House and Senate leadership to act quickly to make Medicare telehealth access permanent, or at the very least, to extend the current flexibilities. These Medicare telehealth provisions, originally enacted during the COVID-19 public health emergency, are set to expire on September 30, 2025, unless Congress acts, despite widespread bipartisan support. The telehealth flexibilities were most recently extended in March due to the collective advocacy efforts of hundreds of healthcare organizations, including CSRO. The Coalition is committed to supporting the permanent implementation of telemedicine in the Medicare program because it has been proven essential in expanding access to rheumatologic care, particularly for underserved communities and for patients facing mobility or transportation challenges.

Legislation Around the Country

CSRO Takes Part in AMA State Advocacy Roundtable to Highlight Rheumatology’s Priorities  

On August 12–14, 2025, CSRO representation participated in the American Medical Association (AMA) State Advocacy Roundtable in Olympic Valley, California. The two-day conference brought together more than 100 state government affairs staff from state medical societies and national medical specialty societies to discuss emerging healthcare issues, share advocacy strategies, and strengthen collaboration across the medical community. CSRO used the meeting as an opportunity to raise awareness of rheumatology’s advocacy priorities, including CSRO’s Prescription Drug Affordability Board (PDAB) model legislation. The Roundtable also provided an important platform for networking and positioning the Coalition within broader state advocacy discussions.

EACH Coalition Releases New Patient Survey Report on Drug Affordability Measures

CSRO is a member of the Ensuring Access through Collaborative Health (EACH) Coalition, which worked with the Patient Inclusion Council (PIC) to publish a new report on the findings of its Patient Experience Survey: Prescription Drug Affordability and Unaffordability. This survey provided real-world insights from patients, offering a more accurate understanding of their challenges in accessing affordable specialty medications compared to the oversimplified surveys conducted by state Prescription Drug Affordability Boards (PDAB). Key findings from the survey revealed that affordability is often a subjective concept for patients and does not necessarily correlate with their income level or out-of-pocket drug costs. Moreover, the leading factors influencing whether a patient deemed their medication affordable were primarily the type of insurance coverage they had and their access to financial assistance programs. In addition to the survey results, the coalition released a policy brief designed to help lawmakers identify policy solutions to the affordability concerns raised by patients.

What's Happening in the States

CSRO tracks legislative activity relevant to the rheumatology community and their patients. Check out the list below to see the status of CSRO priority bills from the past two weeks, and click here to view a full status report of CSRO priority bills.

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.

CA

• PBM Reform (SB41): August 20 set for first hearing. Placed on suspense file.
• Prior Authorization (AB512): In committee: Referred to suspense file.

WI

• Copay Accumulator Adjustment Program Ban | Maximizer Program Ban | Non-Medical Switching (SB203): Senate Amendment 1 offered by Senator Felzkowski



Advocacy Conference: September 12-13, 2025

Join CSRO in Dallas, Texas, for our annual Advocacy Conference! 

Virtual Advocacy Day: October 8, 2025

Save the date to advocate alongside CSRO as we host live conversations with health care leaders. Be notified when registration launches by clicking here!

Fellows Conference: March 6-7, 2026

Calling all rheumatology fellows! Mark your calendars to join us in New Orleans, Louisiana, for CSRO's annual Fellows Conference.

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.

Advocacy Council

Amplify your voice by assembling with other like-minded individuals to enhance CSRO’s advocacy initiatives.

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.