CMS Final Rule Threatens Innovation and Future Treatment Options for Patients

WASHINGTON, D.C. (November 5, 2026) The Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease (PFCD) expressed serious concern today following the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services' (CMS) finalization of policies affecting fixed-dose combination (FDC) therapies under the Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program (CMS-4215-F). By potentially discouraging the development of innovative treatment combinations and more convenient ways to administer medicines, the rule risks limiting future options for millions of Americans living with serious chronic conditions.

The stakes are particularly high for cancer patients. More than 600,000 Americans are diagnosed each year with lung cancer, melanoma, kidney, bladder, head and neck, or stomach cancers combined. For patients facing these diagnoses, advances in treatment can mean fewer infusions, less time traveling to medical appointments, reduced treatment burdens, and more time working, caring for family, and living their lives. Innovations that combine therapies or simplify how medicines are administered can improve the patient experience, lighten caregiver burden and potentially lead to better outcomes.

"Patients living with cancer and other chronic diseases need access to more treatment options, not fewer," said PFCD Chair Kenneth E. Thorpe. "For someone undergoing cancer treatment, an innovation that reduces hours spent in an infusion center or eliminates repeated trips to the hospital can make an enormous difference. Policies that discourage these advances fail to recognize the real-world challenges patients and families face every day."

The impact could extend beyond cancer. Restricting innovation in how treatments are delivered could set a precedent affecting patients with other serious chronic conditions, limiting future options that improve outcomes, reduce treatment burdens, and support quality of life for the millions of Americans living with one or more chronic illnesses. Affordability matters, but lowering drug costs should not come at the expense of innovations that improve patient outcomes and quality of life.

PFCD urges CMS and Congress to address the unintended consequences of this policy and protect incentives to develop treatments that are more effective, accessible, and less burdensome for patients.

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