Utilization Management Survey: Alliance of Specialty Medicine

As a long-time member of the Alliance of Specialty Medicine (ASM), CSRO is asking for your feedback on the impact of utilization management practices through this brief ASM survey.

Your participation is essential - results will be utilized to illustrate the magnitude of this issue across all specialties in our federal advocacy work and will ensure the rheumatology community's perspective is represented. Thank you for your involvement!

Free Fellows Training: Registration Now Open

2023 Fellows Conference

San Francisco, CA

March 10-11

Advocacy Insider Part 1: Demystifying Advocacy

Not sure if advocacy is for you? CSRO has you covered! 

A patient’s access to care, disease management options and overall quality of life are directly impacted by policy. Join CSRO for the first installment of our new webinar series to get a behind-the-scenes look at the legislative process, including why elected officials want to hear from you and simple things you can do to make an impact.

Advocacy Insider Part 1: Demystifying Advocacy

Wednesday, November 2

5pm PT/ 6pm MT/ 7pm CT/ 8pm ET

Save the Date for Additional Upcoming Events

CSRO's Advocacy Conference: September 15-17, 2023

Mark your calendars to join us in Austin for CSRO's Advocacy Conference and celebration of our 20th Anniversary! 

Find all of CSRO's event dates by visiting our Upcoming Events page.

Rheum for Action: CSRO Developing New Program to Educate Employers

As health care costs continue to skyrocket, it is becoming harder for business owners to afford health insurance and they are looking for ways to save money. Dr. Madelaine Feldman, CSRO's Immediate Past President and Vice President of Advocacy & Government Affairs, shares information about this issue and the new toolkit CSRO is developing to educate employers about the lesser-known realities of negotiating with insurance companies, PBMs, and other third party administrators.

Read more in the latest edition of Rheum for Action, CSRO's advocacy column produced in partnership with Rheumatology News (PDF available here).

What's Happening in the States

CSRO tracks legislative activity relevant to the rheumatology community and their patients – click here to view a full status report.

Be sure to check out our interactive legislative map tool for additional information about current policy in your state.

Legislation Spotlight: California

California AB 1880 sought to strengthen and enhance the state’s recently passed step therapy law to help ensure patients got the right treatment at the right time. The bill, which will serve as a template for other states seeking to enhance their own step therapy laws, would have required that appeals of denied step therapy exception requests be reviewed by a peer, and would have required insurers to report data to a state agency to assist with compliance monitoring. 

However, Governor Newsom vetoed the legislation earlier this month. While veto overrides are rare in California, the legislation passed with wide margins in both the Assembly and the Senate, so advocates are hopeful that momentum will continue to build for enhancements to the state’s step therapy law. 

• Payer Issues Reporting Form
• Request assistance with any payer relation issues that may be impacting your patients or office.
• 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.
• Action Center
• Use CSRO's Voter-Voice engagement platform to easily communicate and engage directly with your elected officials.
• Policy Correspondence Archive
• Easily access all of CSRO’s policy letters submitted to payers, state, and federal governments as an informational resource.
• Career Center
• Locate the perfect fit whether you're looking for new career opportunities or trying to find the right candidate.

Founded in 2003, CSRO is a 501c3 nonprofit organization dedicated to improving patient access to care nationwide - donate today.