Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program (“Negotiation Program”) Public Comments
The Negotiation Program provides Medicare the ability to directly negotiate the prices of certain high-cost drugs.
CMS is currently preparing for the upcoming cycle of negotiation and renegotiation and is committed to engaging with a range of stakeholders as part of the Negotiation Program. Public engagement events are part of CMS’ effort to hear directly from patients, caregivers, clinicians, and others to gather input relevant to the selected drugs.
CMS is also asking the public to provide information about these drugs, including personal experience taking these drugs and therapeutic alternatives, by completing the Drug Price Negotiation Information Collection Request (ICR).
CMS invites you to leverage your organization’s communication channels to share information about these upcoming input opportunities and rally the communities you represent to contribute their perspectives. Additional information will be provided soon.
Key Dates
Drugs selected for the upcoming cycle of negotiation and renegotiation will be announced by February 1, 2026, and registration for public engagement events will follow the announcement of selected drugs
The Drug Price Negotiation ICR will be available by February 1, 2026, and responses are due by March 1, 2026
Public engagement events will be held in spring of 2026
In the meantime, learn more about past public engagement events and how to become involved here.
More information about the Drug Price Negotiation ICR is available here.
Reach out to IRARebateandNegotiation@cms.hhs.gov using the subject line “Public Engagement” with any questions.
Thank you for your support.
Sincerely,
CMS
PFAnetwork Skills Exchange
Calling all Patient Family Partners (PFPs) looking to improve your partnership skills!
Join us for a fun and interactive Preparing for Partnership Skills Exchange designed just for YOU! Get ready to learn how to make a real difference in healthcare by partnering with others to improve care!
Don't miss out – sign up today for this FREE, two-part Skills Exchange! Register here!
We can’t wait to see you there!
LAC DHS Patient Partnership Hub Meeting
LAC DHS Patient Family Partnership Hub meets every third Tuesday of the month at 10:00am PT.
Information Session and Q&A - Age-Friendly Health Through Community Voices
Health Affairs is refreshing its Age-Friendly Health series with a new cycle of content that will run through June 30, 2028. The goal of the series is to improve health care for older adults by helping guide the policy agenda at the federal, state, and local levels. Health Affairs wants to include health care-related stories, experiences, and creative work from older adults, as well as from people involved in the health care of older adults at the community level. We are interested in work that spans the full range of care settings, including primary and specialty care, hospitals, nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and home and community-based care. We will consider content related to both paid and unpaid care.
Join us on Wednesday, February 18, 2026, 2 p.m. ET to learn more about Health Affairs, ask questions about the submission process, and meet our editors.
PFAnetwork Skills Exchange
Calling all Patient Family Partners (PFPs) looking to improve your partnership skills!
Join us for a fun and interactive Preparing for Partnership Skills Exchange designed just for YOU! Get ready to learn how to make a real difference in healthcare by partnering with others to improve care!
Don't miss out – sign up today for this FREE, two-part Skills Exchange! Register here!
We can’t wait to see you there!
INSPIRE’s Community Engagement Learning Network
Join us in building a vibrant community that inspires change!
INSPIRE’s new Community Engagement Learning Network is a unique opportunity for community engagement (CE) professionals and people with lived experience (PWLE) to connect and learn together. Based on feedback from hundreds of people across the country about what they need to advance their work in CE, INSPIRE’s CE Learning Network is a community dedicated to sharing best practices, providing support to one another, and enhancing the field.
2026 scheduled sessions will all take place on the fourth Wednesday of each month, beginning at 3 pm ET.
REGISTER Here: Meeting Registration - Zoom
LAC DHS Patient Partnership Hub Meeting
LAC DHS Patient Family Partnership Hub meets every third Tuesday of the month at 10:00am PT.
INSPIRE’s Community Engagement Learning Network
Join us in building a vibrant community that inspires change!
INSPIRE’s new Community Engagement Learning Network is a unique opportunity for community engagement (CE) professionals and people with lived experience (PWLE) to connect and learn together. Based on feedback from hundreds of people across the country about what they need to advance their work in CE, INSPIRE’s CE Learning Network is a community dedicated to sharing best practices, providing support to one another, and enhancing the field.
2026 scheduled sessions will all take place on the fourth Wednesday of each month, beginning at 3 pm ET.
REGISTER Here: Meeting Registration - Zoom
PFAnetwork Building Bridges
Join us for this meaningful series and opportunity to connect! The purpose of the Building Bridges series is to create a sense of belonging within the PFAnetwork community. We are looking forward to having these candid conversations together!
INSPIRE’s Community Engagement Learning Network
Join us in building a vibrant community that inspires change!
INSPIRE’s new Community Engagement Learning Network is a unique opportunity for community engagement (CE) professionals and people with lived experience (PWLE) to connect and learn together. Based on feedback from hundreds of people across the country about what they need to advance their work in CE, INSPIRE’s CE Learning Network is a community dedicated to sharing best practices, providing support to one another, and enhancing the field.
2026 scheduled sessions will all take place on the fourth Wednesday of each month, beginning at 3 pm ET.
REGISTER Here: Meeting Registration - Zoom
Know Your Rights: Personal Care Assistance - From Application to Appeals - Part 2
Join staff from Disability Rights New Jersey as we host a 2-part webinar series "Know your Rights: Personal Care Assistance - From Application to Appeals". Attendees will learn about their rights to Personal Care Assistance (PCA) during the process of applying for and receiving benefits including when one’s PCA hours are reduced or terminated. The webinar will provide information on everything from eligibility criteria to beneficiary’s rights through the application and appeals process. Personal Care Assistance provide critical support to enable people with disabilities to have the assistance needed to perform daily tasks such as bathing, dressing and eating. PCAs enhance independence and dignity, ensure safety, and improves quality of life for people with disabilities. This webinar is intended for individuals with disabilities, family members and professionals.
Why does PCA matter?
PCA provides critical support to enable people with disabilities to have the assistance needed to perform daily tasks such as bathing, dressing, and eating, as well as enhance independence and dignity, ensure safety, and improves quality of life for people with disabilities.
PFAnetwork Coffee Chat
Let’s dive deeper into artificial intelligence (AI) in healthcare! Please join us for our quarterly Coffee Chat. Coffee Chats are a time to come together and catch up on community updates and hot topics. This month’s topic will continue our conversation on Artificial Intelligence (AI) in healthcare.
We hope to see you there! Register here!
LAC DHS Patient Partnership Hub Meeting
LAC DHS Patient Family Partnership Hub meets every third Tuesday of the month at 10:00am PT.
Know Your Rights: Personal Care Assistance - From Application to Appeals - Part 1
Join staff from Disability Rights New Jersey as we host a 2-part webinar series "Know your Rights: Personal Care Assistance - From Application to Appeals". Attendees will learn about their rights to Personal Care Assistance (PCA) during the process of applying for and receiving benefits including when one’s PCA hours are reduced or terminated. The webinar will provide information on everything from eligibility criteria to beneficiary’s rights through the application and appeals process. Personal Care Assistance provide critical support to enable people with disabilities to have the assistance needed to perform daily tasks such as bathing, dressing and eating. PCAs enhance independence and dignity, ensure safety, and improves quality of life for people with disabilities. This webinar is intended for individuals with disabilities, family members and professionals.
LAC DHS Patient Partnership Hub Meeting
LAC DHS Patient Family Partnership Hub meets every third Tuesday of the month at 10:00am PT.
PFAnetwork Coffee Chat
Please join us for our quarterly Coffee Chat. Coffee Chats are a time to come together and catch up on community updates and hot topics. We hope to see you there! Register here!
IHI Forum
Working Together to Transform Health and Health Care.
This year, the IHI Forum takes place at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, California, a vibrant destination that brings people together.
Register here!
INSPIRE’s Community Engagement Learning Network
Join us in building a vibrant community that inspires change!
INSPIRE’s new Community Engagement Learning Network is a unique opportunity for community engagement (CE) professionals and people with lived experience (PWLE) to connect and learn together. Based on feedback from hundreds of people across the country about what they need to advance their work in CE, INSPIRE’s CE Learning Network is a community dedicated to sharing best practices, providing support to one another, and enhancing the field.
2025 scheduled sessions will all take place on the fourth Wednesday of each month, beginning at 3 pm ET.
REGISTER Here: Meeting Registration - Zoom
Advancing Maternal Health: Exploring the Impact of Hypertension Guidelines in Pregnancy
🌟 Join Us for a Webinar on Advancing Maternal Health: Exploring the Impact of Hypertension Guidelines in Pregnancy! 🌟
The American Heart Association will be hosting a timely discussion on the 2025 AHA/ACC Blood Pressure Guidelines and their impact on maternal health. Please check out the registration details below and join us if you can!
PFAnetwork Community Coffee Chat
Join us for a session of reflection and gratitude.
Register Here!
Nominations Are Being Accepted for a New PQA Patient Advisory Council
PQA, the Pharmacy Quality Alliance, will launch a new Patient Advisory Council in 2026. This council will advise PQA on what matters most to patients, their families and caregivers as it relates to safe, effective and appropriate medication use.
The council also will provide input on strategies to meaningfully incorporate patient perspectives throughout PQA’s work to improve the quality of medication use and patient outcomes.
Self-nominations to participate on the council are being accepted today through Friday, December 12. Individuals can submit their nominations via this form.
Better Caregiving for All - Caregivers of Persons Living with Dementia and Addictions
Join us for this month’s Better Caregiving for All webinar on Wednesday, November 19, at 1:00 PM PST.
The UCLA Alzheimer’s and Dementia Care (ADC) Program presents Better Caregiving for All, a monthly virtual series accessible via Zoom. It is delivered live and recorded for on-demand viewing. The material covered each month addresses the needs of populations that have not been the focus of traditional caregiver training and education in the past. Each session features a content expert and caregivers who share their knowledge and experience in caring for individuals with dementia.
November Topic:
Caregivers of Persons Living with Dementia and Addictions
This webinar will cover addictions, including those related to alcohol and prescription medications.
Register Now:
https://uclahs.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_5mx9MkNn1Lc4hw2 click here to sign up
(Or scan the QR code in the flyer)
Who Should Attend:
Everyone is welcome! We especially encourage caregivers of a person living with dementia and addictions, including those related to alcohol and prescription medications.
If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact dementiapm@mednet.ucla.edu.
Warm regards,
The UCLA ADC Program
LAC DHS Patient Partnership Hub Meeting
LAC DHS Patient Family Partnership Hub meets every third Tuesday of the month at 10:00am PT.
Medicaid Changes Part 3: How Federal Medicaid Changes Affect Californians with I/DD
Join us for a live webinar
If you are a person with a disability in California or their circle of support, we want you to know about these upcoming changes to Medicaid. Building on the discussions from parts 1 and 2 of this series, we will give an overview of the latest state and federal policy changes and discuss issues specific to people with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD).
This event is part 3 of a 3-part series on Medicaid changes.
When:
Monday, November 17, 2025
5:30 PM - 6:30 PM
Pacific Time
Register Here: https://www.disabilityrightsca.org/events/medicaid-changes-part-3-how-federal-medicaid-changes-affect-californians-with-i-dd#register
Medicaid Changes Part 2: How Federal Medicaid Changes Will Affect Californians with Mental Health Disabilities, co-hosted with Cal Voices
Join us for a live webinar
If you are a person with a disability in California or their circle of support, we want you to know about these upcoming changes to Medicaid. Experts from Disability Rights California and Cal Voices will delve deeper into how changes made by the federal government to Medicaid will impact California’s mental health services system.
This event is part 2 of a 3-part series on Medicaid changes. Part 3 will delve into specific changes that will impact people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD).
When:
Thursday, October 30, 2025
11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Pacific Time
Register Here: https://www.disabilityrightsca.org/events/medicaid-changes-part-2-how-federal-medicaid-changes-will-affect-californians-with#register
PFAnetwork Coffee Chat
Please join us for our quarterly Coffee Chat. Coffee Chats are a time to come together and catch up on community updates and hot topics. We hope to see you there!
INSPIRE’s Community Engagement Learning Network
Join us in building a vibrant community that inspires change!
INSPIRE’s new Community Engagement Learning Network is a unique opportunity for community engagement (CE) professionals and people with lived experience (PWLE) to connect and learn together. Based on feedback from hundreds of people across the country about what they need to advance their work in CE, INSPIRE’s CE Learning Network is a community dedicated to sharing best practices, providing support to one another, and enhancing the field.
2025 scheduled sessions will all take place on the fourth Wednesday of each month, beginning at 3 pm ET.
REGISTER Here: Meeting Registration - Zoom
LAC DHS Patient Partnership Hub Meeting
LAC DHS Patient Family Partnership Hub meets every third Tuesday of the month at 10:00am PT.
Ageism, Health Care, and Healing – An Attendee-Led "Unconference"
In-person CALIFORNIA.
Ageism, Health Care, and Healing – An Attendee-Led "Unconference"
What it’s about: Ageism (bias against people because of age) harms health and is deeply rooted in health care. It often combines with other discrimination, like ableism (bias against people with physical or cognitive challenges), making health care harder to access and less fair.
The event:
A two-day "unconference" in Pasadena, CA on October 18–19, 2025
Brings together about 40 people from different backgrounds, ages, and experiences—including those with chronic health conditions
Participants choose topics, share lived experiences, and work together to set goals for change
How it works:
Uses interactive “Liberating Structures” tools to guide conversations
Focuses on creating new ideas for healing and addressing ageism and ableism in health care
Details:
When: Sat Oct 18 (10 AM–5 PM PT) & Sun Oct 19 (9 AM–4 PM PT)
Where: Pasadena, California
Cost: Pay-what-you-can ($5–$250)
What’s included: Breakfast, lunch, and free parking; small local travel stipends may be available
Register by: October 11, 2025
After the event: Notes, ideas, and participant-approved materials will be shared publicly at no cost.
To learn more or register, contact Hilary Siebens at hilary@siebenspcc.com.
Visit Old School Hub for more background.
Northwest Patient Safety Conference
Patient safety is everyone’s business. There is a popular patient safety conference now in its 22nd year we'd like to bring to your attention. The 22nd annual Northwest Patient Safety Conference is on October 16-17, 2025 as an entirely virtual event over two half-days.
The theme is “Navigating Rough Seas.” This year’s conference will provide insight, actionable tools, and techniques to help us address the challenging and unique time heath care finds itself in.
Learn More and Register for the Conference
Medicaid Changes Part 1: State and Federal Policy Updates for Californians with Disabilities
Join us for a live webinar.
If you are a person with a disability in California or their circle of support, we want you to know about these upcoming changes to Medicaid. Experts from Disability Rights California are going to break down who will be affected by these changes, when they are going to take place, and which law is causing each change.
This event is part 1 of a 3-part series on Medicaid changes. Parts 2 and Part 3 will dive into specific changes that will impact people with mental health disabilities and people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD).
When:
Wednesday, October 15, 2025
5:30 PM - 6:45 PM
Pacific Time
Register Here: https://www.disabilityrightsca.org/events/medicaid-changes-part-1-state-and-federal-policy-updates-for-californians-with#register
Share Your Feedback on NQF’s Draft Report on AI in Healthcare Quality Measurement
Share Your Feedback on NQF’s Draft Report on AI in Healthcare Quality Measurement.
As a reminder, the National Quality Forum (NQF) is seeking comments from the public on a draft of its upcoming report on the use of artificial intelligence (AI) methods in healthcare quality measurement through October 15, 2025.
We Need Your Input
We invite you to submit comments on the draft report, which includes guidance and recommendations for developing, selecting, and implementing AI-enabled quality measures in accountability programs, including value-based payment, public reporting, performance-based provider network designs, and accreditation. Public comments submitted as part of this important initiative will inform the final report.
To learn more about the initiative, visit NQF’s website. To read the draft report and submit comments, go to surveymonkey.com/r/FD867LY. Please submit your comments by October 15, 2025, at 6:00 PM ET.
About This Initiative
AI methods, such as natural language processing, machine learning, and large language models, hold enormous potential to enhance healthcare quality measurement. To realize the full potential of AI for quality measurement, we must establish strong governance and industry consensus.
To drive consensus on the guidance and recommendations, NQF convened a national technical expert panel (TEP) comprised of stakeholders from across the healthcare ecosystem, including experts in the use of AI methods for healthcare quality measurement, clinical informatics, health information technology, and health equity, as well as representatives from payers, and health systems familiar with the use of AI methods for quality measurement. The TEP outlined key strategies to advance trustworthy AI-enabled measures and created a multi-step roadmap for implementing the strategies. This initiative on the use of AI in quality measures was funded by the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation.
If you have any questions, please contact the NQF AI in Quality Measurement team at AIinqualitymeasures@qualityforum.org.
Share your feedback: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/FD867LY
Thank you in advance for your participation and for your commitment to advancing healthcare quality.
Medicare Open Enrollment 2025
Open Enrollment happens from October 15 – December 7 and is the time each year when you can make changes to your coverage. The changes you make during Open Enrollment are effective January 1 of next year (the plan must get your enrollment request by December 7).
Learn more: https://www.medicare.gov/health-drug-plans/open-enrollment
Putting Care at the Center 2025
Join the PFCCpartners team at Putting Care at the Center!
Putting Care at the Center is a national conference for health and social care providers, policymakers, consumer advocates, program leaders, payers, researchers, and more who are working to improve care for people with complex health and social needs. Meet your people, learn best practices, share your experiences, and help us build the complex care field. Putting Care at the Center is the annual conference of the Camden Coalition’s National Center for Complex Health and Social Needs.
Join us October 15-17, 2025 in Portland, OR with co-host CareOregon. Pre-conference activities will take place October 14.
2025 FALL POLICY SUMMIT (WASHINGTON, DC AND LIVESTREAM). Centering Patient Values in Drug Policy: Transparency, Value, and Access.
Prescription drug pricing reform is at a pivotal point. The Center is hosting the Fall Policy Summit at the USC Capital Campus in Washington, DC. The Summit will bring together leaders in healthcare policy, patient advocacy, research, and industry to examine the promises of and pitfalls of international reference pricing (IRP) and to identify patient-informed, sustainable alternatives.
Grounded in our commitment to transparency, equity, and patient-centered value, this event offers an opportunity to shape policies that balance affordability, access, and innovation. Attendees will gain insights from global experts, hear directly from patients, and contribute to a policy roadmap for reform. [Tuesday, October 7, 2025 | 9:30 AM - 3:30 PM ET ]
|| LEARN MORE ||
Understanding CalABLE and Medi-Cal
CalABLE is a savings and investment program for people with disabilities. It helps individuals save money without losing important public benefits like SSI or Medi-Cal. This session is designed to help individuals with disabilities and their families understand how to save and invest money without losing essential public benefits. In this webinar, we will be discussing: • CalABLE basics and eligibility • Medi-Cal basics and eligibility • How CalABLE interacts with Medi-Cal • Medi-Cal estate recovery • FAQs The webinar will conclude with a Q&A session to give participants an opportunity to ask additional questions. If you are new to CalABLE and would like to explore the basics of the program, please visit our YouTube channel for replays of some of our earlier webinars that discuss the fundamentals of CalABLE. We will have ASL, Spanish, and live captioning available for this session.
Shaping the Conditions for Care: The Impact on Trust
In this Town Hall, we will hear from 3 panelists representing communities in the healthcare ecosystem that we hear from less about the ways in which the conditions of industrial healthcare - the culture, policies, processes, and spaces - are impacting the ability of patients, caregivers, clinicians, and staff to trust and what we can do about it.
For full speaker bios and recommended media to view before the event go to > https://www.patientrevolution.org/library/trusttownhall Panelists: Carolyn Canfield, patient advocate, educator, and TPR Fellow Erin O'Malley, Executive Director of The Coalition for Trust in Health and Science Gary Schwitzer, a healthcare journalist, educator, and founder of HealthNewsReviews Substack
On September 30, 2025, 10:30a-12:00p ET on Zoom; we will be hosting a Town Hall that considers how decisions made far away from clinics and hospitals impact trust. Register now.
UNCOVERING THE TRUE COST OF HEALTHCARE Workshop #5: Quantifying the Cost of Stress for Patients and Caregivers
Event Details
Stress has real economic consequences, impacting individuals, families, and healthcare systems, yet it remains unmeasured, mainly in research and decision-making. This virtual, interactive workshop will explore the financial toll of stress that patients and caregivers face when navigating complex and chronic health conditions. Join us to learn how future studies can better capture these impacts and help inform more equitable healthcare solutions.
Key Discussion Topics:
Personal and economic impacts of stress
Current research findings and methods
How to better identify, measure, and address these costs in research
Why Attend:
Learn from experts and advocates
Build connections across research, advocacy, and policy sectors
Contribute to actionable solutions to economic challenges from stress
Join the Center for Innovation & Value Research for the fifth installment in our six-part workshop series within the Center's Patient-Centered Economic Impacts Project. The workshop is open to those interested in making healthcare research more patient-centered, particularly researchers interested in the economic impacts of disease, patients and caregivers eager to participate in or inform research, and funders of healthcare research.
REGISTER HERE.
Registration closes at 3PM ET Wednesday, September 24th.
Please contact Ushma Patel if you have any questions.