FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 15, 2022
MEDIA CONTACT:
Stephen Ziter
Stephen.Ziter@ncoda.com
518-867-5001
First-Of-Its-Kind Oncology State Legislation Tracking Tool
NCODA Launches a New Comprehensive Resource to Allow Oncology Healthcare Professionals to Stay Updated on the Latest in Relevant Policy/Legislation in all 50 States
CAZENOVIA, NY – Today, NCODA announces the launch of its new and unique, oncology-focused comprehensive Oncology State Legislation Tracking Tool. This new NCODA member resource is the first-of-its-kind within the oncology space that allows healthcare professionals and other users to stay up-to-date on the latest in state legislation pertaining to issues such as PBMs and copay accumulators. Unlike other state legislation trackers, this tool encompasses all updates throughout the United States in one location, and is updated on a weekly basis.
Debra Patt, MD, PhD, MBA, Executive Vice President at Texas Oncology states, “This tool is revolutionary in how much of an impact it will make for all practices that are trying to navigate state health policy change. It’s difficult for state practices to be involved in policy, and NCODA’s Oncology State Legislation Tracker is really going to help us be up-to-date on the recent policy changes in different states to help each state understand how and where they need to act to be effective.”
The NCODA Oncology State Legislation Tracking Tool will include relevant bill numbers, complete bill readings, as well as a brief summary and a ‘why it matters’ section for each bill. This tool allows busy healthcare professionals to become more active participants in their state’s legislative affairs that directly impact their practice and the patients they serve. Users will also have access to dozens of FAQs on the tracker’s webpage which explain specific healthcare and legislative terms / phrases.
NCODA has a dedicated and active membership base of professionals that are part of their Legislative & Policy Advisory Committee. The committee is led by Nancy Egerton, PharmD, BCOP. Nancy is the Director of Pharmacy at New York Oncology Hematology in Albany, NY. “This new tool will connect oncology professionals across the country in a way that will allow voices to be heard much quicker, more effectively, and on common ground,” said Egerton. “Keeping our members engaged and informed of key issues relevant to their practices and patients is the goal of the Legislative & Policy Advisory Committee, and this tool will allow us to be much more efficient in our efforts.”
NCODA serves over 4,700 healthcare professionals from close to 800 unique cancer centers across the country. In addition to the many member resources that NCODA offers, the Oncology State Legislation Tracking Tool is a valuable way for the oncology community to be informed on recent state legislative issues. This information will allow healthcare providers from across the country to work together and bring about change to improve the patient experience. Beyond viewing the information contained in the tool, NCODA has also launched a member-only online engagement community called NCODA CONNECT. This engagement platform allows for further discussion between healthcare professionals based on recent legislative updates, thus making the connection even deeper and more efficient for all participants.
“This new tool provides tremendous value. As PBM reform and legislation get so complicated, state reform becomes a key driver in impacting change to improve patient care. Having a tool to understand best practices across different states to see what is going on, what is working and what hasn’t worked, really allows healthcare professionals to bring better change and learn from other states,” said Stephen M. Schleicher, MD, Chief Medical Officer at Tennessee Oncology.
To access the Oncology State Legislation Tracking Tool, users must be an NCODA Member. Oncology healthcare professionals that would like to access the tool and are not yet members can register for complimentary membership here. For industry partners and media inquiries, please visit the tracking tool page for additional guidance.
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About NCODA
NCODA is a leading non-profit organization dedicated to empowering medically integrated oncology practices to deliver positive, patient-centered outcomes by providing leadership, expertise, quality standards, and best practices. For more information about NCODA visit www.ncoda.org or follow @NCODA on LinkedIn.