Mission Cancer + Blood Advocates for the Timely Access to Cancer Treatment (TACT) Act

Patients and Friends,

As many of you are aware, timely access to cancer treatment is imperative and not something that should be delayed or require justification from a patient’s oncologist.  As our health care delivery system becomes more and more complex, delays in patients getting access to life-saving treatments, especially oral cancer drugs, has continued to be a consistent challenge both for oncology practices and in-house pharmacy dispensing facilities.  Roadblocks implemented by pharmacy benefit mangers (PBM’s), health insurance companies, and specialty pharmacies continue to prevent patients from getting their cancer drugs in a timely manner. 

Patients with cancer depend on prompt access to medications their doctors prescribe, but oncologist are often required to fight for or go through multiple hoops to get their patients access to these medications in an acceptable timeframe.  We feel that patients should have access to prescribed medications within 72 hours and are excited to see congress introduce the Timely Access to Cancer Treatment (TACT) Act. 

The TACT Act empowers doctors to make timely medical decisions and prevents unnecessary roadblocks in patients receiving these medications. 

Specifically, the TACT Act will:

• Require PBM’s, plan sponsors, insurers, and pharmacies to ensure that patients with cancer can receive their prescribed medications within 72 hours of having it submitted by a provider.
• If the patient does not receive their medication within 72 hours, the patient can seek alternative pharmacy services from any other duly licensed entity that can fill the patient’s prescription and that is covered under the patients plan with full use of the patients benefits.
• To ensure the patient will receive their medication, the pharmacy benefit plan provider must confirm within 24 hours to the patient’s prescriber that they have received it and that it can be filled in the 72-hour period.
• Any prior authorization required by a pharmacy benefit plan provider must take place in such a time that 72-hour time limit is not exceeded.

At Mission Cancer + Blood, we strongly support the proposed Timely Access to Cancer Treatment (TACT) Act!

The Mission Cancer + Blood IOD team that fights on the behalf of our patients everyday.

Your voice matters!  We encourage you to reach out to your legislative representatives and urge them to support the TACT Act by becoming a cosponsor.  We’ve attached a sample letter outline below for your use if desired.

Sample Email

The Honorable (INSERT REPRESENTATIVE/SENATOR NAME):

As (a patient, family member of a patient, etc.) in CITY or COUNTY, I am writing to ask that you support H.R. 3258 the Timely Access to Treatment (TACT) Act.

Patients with cancer depend on prompt access to the oral cancer medications their doctors prescribe. Unfortunately, they all too often experience unacceptable delays by pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) and insurers. They often require various levels of authorization or the use of mail-order pharmacies that can delay medication access for weeks, or even months. The TACT Act will ensure cancer patients can receive their oral medications when they need it.

The TACT Act is simple and common-sense bipartisan solution: It requires prescribed oral cancer medication to be available to patients within 72 hours of submission by their doctor. If it is not approved and available within that period of time, the patient can seek out the medication from an approved pharmacy of their choice.

Patients facing cancer should not suffer the consequences of delays and red tape, and the TACT Act encourages all parties to act with the patient in mind. Please support the TACT Act (H.R. 3258) by becoming a cosponsor!

Sincerely,

(INSERT NAME)