As we reach the midpoint of 2026, C-TAC continues to build momentum in advancing person-centered care for people living with serious illness and those who care for them. So far this year, we have strengthened partnerships, advanced innovative policy solutions at the federal and state levels, convened leaders across the health care community, and developed new resources to expand access to high-quality care. This Mid-Year Update highlights the progress we’ve made together, the impact of our collective advocacy, and the opportunities ahead as we continue working to transform care so every person receives the right care, at the right time, in the setting they choose.
Advocacy Work
Advancing Supportive Cancer Care
C-TAC has continued to play a leading role in advancing Supportive Cancer Care as an essential component of high-quality, person-centered cancer care. As a proud partner of the Together for Supportive Cancer Care Coalition, C-TAC participated in the Coalition’s national convening in Washington, D.C., bringing together leaders from healthcare, policy, research, patient advocacy, employers, and industry to accelerate the adoption of supportive cancer care nationwide.
At the convening, Senior Policy Advisor Brian Lindberg presented the Coalition’s federal policy priorities, highlighting the urgent need to improve care coordination, strengthen the supportive care workforce, expand patient navigation, advance value-based payment models, and better support family caregivers. Torrie Fields also represented C-TAC in discussions focused on expanding the evidence base demonstrating the clinical and economic value of supportive cancer care for patients, caregivers, providers, and payers.
A major milestone this year was the launch of From Vision to Action: A National Policy Agenda for Supportive Cancer Care, a comprehensive roadmap developed by the Coalition to make supportive cancer care the national standard. The agenda outlines actionable federal policy recommendations to integrate supportive care across the entire cancer journey—from diagnosis through survivorship and end of life—through five key priorities: advancing supportive care research and innovation; improving care coordination and patient navigation; strengthening and standardizing the supportive cancer care workforce; expanding value-based payment and comprehensive coverage; and enhancing protections for family caregivers while addressing the financial burden of cancer.
Together, these efforts reflect C-TAC’s continued commitment to advancing policies that ensure every person facing cancer has access to coordinated, whole-person care that addresses not only the disease, but also the physical, emotional, social, and practical needs of patients and their families.
Advancing Better Kidney Care Through Value-Based Innovation
This year, C-TAC continued to champion innovative approaches to kidney care that improve outcomes, enhance the patient experience, and strengthen the sustainability of our health care system.
C-TAC was proud to participate in the Improving Kidney Care with Innovative Payment & Delivery Models Capitol Hill briefing, where C-TAC Co-Founder and Co-Chair Bill Novelli opened the bipartisan discussion on the future of value-based kidney care. Speakers highlighted the success of the Kidney Care Choices (KCC) model in expanding access to coordinated, home-based care, improving transplant rates, and demonstrating that value-based payment models can deliver measurable results for patients and Medicare alike.
Building on this momentum, C-TAC partnered with Accountable for Health to submit comprehensive recommendations to the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) outlining a roadmap for the future of kidney care. The recommendations call for a permanent successor to the Comprehensive Kidney Care Contracting (CKCC) model while strengthening patient engagement, caregiver support, palliative and hospice integration, and earlier, more coordinated care for people living with kidney disease.
Together, these efforts reinforce C-TAC’s commitment to advancing person-centered, value-based policies that ensure individuals with serious and chronic illnesses receive the right care, at the right time, in the setting that best meets their needs.
State Update
New Jersey Launches Medicaid Community-Based Palliative Care Benefit
C-TAC continued its leadership in advancing state-level policy by supporting New Jersey’s implementation of a new Medicaid Community-Based Palliative Care Benefit, which launched on April 1, 2026. Established through bipartisan legislation signed by Governor Phil Murphy, the benefit will provide eligible Medicaid beneficiaries with access to interdisciplinary, community-based palliative care services that improve quality of life while enhancing care coordination and helping reduce avoidable hospitalizations and emergency department visits.
Throughout the development process, C-TAC worked alongside the New Jersey Division of Medical Assistance and Health Services (DMAHS), the Goals of Care Coalition of New Jersey, managed care organizations, providers, and other stakeholders to help shape the benefit and support implementation efforts. New Jersey joins a growing number of states advancing innovative Medicaid palliative care benefits, representing another important step toward expanding access to person-centered care for individuals living with serious illness and providing a model for states nationwide.
Regulatory Actions
Advancing Policy Through Strategic Federal Comment Letters
C-TAC continues to serve as a trusted voice in shaping federal policy on behalf of people living with serious illness and their family caregivers. During the first half of 2026, C-TAC submitted an extensive portfolio of comment letters and responses to federal Requests for Information (RFIs), providing evidence-based recommendations across a broad range of Medicare, Medicaid, and health system policy issues.
Our advocacy addressed topics spanning Medicare Advantage, Medicaid, hospice, skilled nursing facilities, hospital payment systems, home and community-based services, interoperability and prior authorization, essential health benefits, federal financial assistance, and health care program integrity. Specifically, C-TAC submitted comments on:
- Medicare Advantage and Medicare Part D Policy and Technical Changes for Contract Year 2027
- HHS Notice of Benefit and Payment Parameters for 2027 and the Basic Health Program
- Request for Information on Comprehensive Regulations to Uncover Suspicious Healthcare (CRUSH)
- 2028 Medicaid Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) Quality Measure Set
- FY 2027 Hospice Wage Index and Payment Rate Update and Hospice Quality Reporting Program
- FY 2027 Skilled Nursing Facility Prospective Payment System and Quality Reporting Program
- FY 2027 Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment System (IPPS) and Long-Term Care Hospital Prospective Payment System
- Interoperability Standards and Prior Authorization for Medicare Advantage, Medicaid, CHIP, and Qualified Health Plans
- Proposed Rule on Federal Financial Assistance (2 CFR Part 200)
- Request for Information on the Essential Health Benefits Framework and Typical Employer Plan Standard
- Interoperability Standards and Prior Authorization for Medicare Advantage, Medicaid, CHIP, and Qualified Health Plans
- Proposed Rule on Federal Financial Assistance (2 CFR Part 200)
- Request for Information on the Essential Health Benefits Framework and Typical Employer Plan Standard
The breadth of these submissions reflects C-TAC’s leadership across the full continuum of serious illness care and our commitment to ensuring that federal policies support high-quality, person-centered, coordinated care. Each letter draws on the expertise of our members and partners to provide practical, bipartisan recommendations that improve care delivery while strengthening support for patients, families, and caregivers.
Visit the Comment letters page!
CTAC Initiatives
Federal Community-Based Palliative Care Model Initiative
C-TAC and the National Partnership for Healthcare and Hospice Innovation (NPHI) have launched a collaborative effort to develop a federal fee-for-service community-based palliative care model designed to expand access to supportive care earlier in the course of serious illness. The proposed model aims to help patients receive coordinated, person-centered care in their homes, improve quality of life, better support family caregivers, and reduce avoidable hospitalizations. By establishing a sustainable reimbursement framework and building on decades of clinical innovation, the initiative seeks to make community-based palliative care more widely available to Medicare beneficiaries while advancing a stronger evidence base for this essential model of care.
Resource Spotlight
Faith Community Resource Road Map
In January, C-TAC launched its new Faith Community Resource Road Map, a practical resource developed with support from the John and Wauna Harman Foundation and the Arthur Vining Davis Foundation to help faith communities strengthen care for people facing serious illness. Designed for organizations serving underserved populations, the Road Map provides strategies for building sustainable programs, fostering partnerships, securing funding, and delivering culturally and spiritually responsive, person-centered care. Informed by input from faith and community leaders across the country, the resource recognizes the essential role faith communities play in supporting individuals and families while equipping them with tools to create lasting impact. The Resource Road Map, Trainer’s Guide, and Trainee Resources are now available in C-TAC’s Resource Center.
Member Engagement
Bi-monthly member webinars and meetings
This series continues to provide members with timely access to federal policymakers, nationally recognized experts, and thought leaders shaping the future of serious illness care. Throughout the first half of the year, members participated in discussions on emerging federal policy, payment and care delivery models, and innovative approaches to advance person-centered care.
- April: Members welcomed Sarah Skirmont, Legislative Director for Representative Linda Sánchez (D-CA-38), who provided an update on the Hospice Care Accountability, Reform, and Enforcement (Hospice CARE) Act. The discussion highlighted efforts to modernize the Medicare hospice benefit, strengthen protections against fraud, improve quality and accountability, and expand access to essential hospice services and caregiver support. The call also featured updates from C-TAC’s policy and regulatory affairs team on the latest federal legislative and regulatory developments impacting advanced illness care.
- May: Members heard from Meredith Yinger, Model Lead for the Long-Term Enhanced ACO Design (ACO LEAD) Model at the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Innovation (CMMI), and Rachel Roiland, Senior Policy Director at Healthsperien. Together, they explored the latest innovations emerging from CMMI, including the new ACO LEAD model, and discussed the implications for value-based care, care coordination, and the future of serious illness care delivery.
- July: C-TAC welcomed Dr. Rebecca Sudore, internationally recognized geriatrician, palliative medicine physician, Clinical Research Scientist at UCSF, and Founder and Director of the PREPARE for Your Care programs. Dr. Sudore shared insights from her groundbreaking work in advance care planning, emphasizing practical strategies to empower individuals and families to make informed health care decisions before a crisis occurs. The conversation also featured C-TAC member MyDirectives, highlighting innovative digital tools that help individuals document, share, and ensure their care preferences are accessible when they matter most.
These conversations continue to equip C-TAC members with actionable insights, foster collaboration across the membership, and strengthen our collective efforts to transform care for people living with serious illness and those who care for them.
New Member Workgroups Coming Soon
We are preparing to launch a new series of member workgroups in the coming months that will provide opportunities for members to collaborate on key policy and care delivery priorities.
Initial workgroups will focus on Caregiving, Supportive Cancer Care & Oncology Payment Reform, and Community-Based Advanced Care & Value-Based Models. These groups will serve as forums for members and external partners to share expertise, help shape C-TAC’s policy agenda, and advance innovative solutions that improve care for people living with serious illness.
Participation opportunities will be available at designated membership levels, with additional details on workgroup structure, timelines, and member involvement to be announced in the coming months
