When a new medical technology can catch disease earlier or guide more precise treatment, the difference it makes is only as real as a patient's ability to access it. Too often, gaps in coverage and out-of-pocket costs stand between people and the innovations designed to help them.
That's why we're proud to spotlight the work of our partner, AdvaMed, the Medtech Association, whose 2026 Patients First Agenda is helping close those gaps one state at a time. This year, AdvaMed worked alongside patient advocacy partners to advance 10 state legislative wins that expand access to biomarker testing, eliminate cost barriers for cancer screening, and bring remote monitoring to maternal care. Here's a closer look at what those wins mean for patients and families.
AdvaMed's Patients First Agenda is built around a straightforward principle: policy should put patients at the center of care. Rather than advancing innovation in the abstract, the agenda targets the practical barriers—coverage exclusions, cost-sharing, and reimbursement gaps—that keep proven technologies out of reach.
It's a mission we share, which makes AdvaMed's progress this year worth celebrating. Across three priority areas, partner-led advocacy turned shared goals into enacted law.
Biomarker testing is key to unlocking precision medicine—helping clinicians detect, treat, and monitor conditions ranging from cancer to Alzheimer's disease. As researchers identify new, actionable biomarkers, ensuring patients can actually get tested becomes essential to delivering the right treatment, at the right dose, at the right time.
Much of the momentum behind this issue reflects the tireless advocacy of ACS CAN, the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, which has worked state by state to expand insurance coverage of comprehensive biomarker testing—so that advances in precision medicine help close, rather than widen, existing disparities in cancer outcomes.
In 2026, that advocacy helped advance biomarker coverage laws in two more states:
Together, these laws reduce coverage barriers and support more informed treatment decisions for patients and providers alike.
Unexpected or high out-of-pocket costs shouldn't delay someone from seeking recommended follow-up care—yet for many patients, that's exactly what happens. Eliminating cost-sharing for screening and diagnostic imaging helps catch diseases like cancer sooner, when they are most treatable.
This was AdvaMed's most active priority of the year, with partner-supported wins in six states:
By removing financial obstacles to medically recommended screenings and follow-up care, these measures support earlier detection and timelier diagnosis—and better outcomes for patients and families.
Medical technology also plays a growing role in maternal health, especially for pregnant and postpartum patients managing conditions like hypertension. Remote monitoring tools let providers spot concerning changes earlier and meet patients where they are—a particular benefit in communities with limited access to care.
AdvaMed supported two maternal health wins this year:
These policies recognize the value of remote maternal care in helping providers monitor patients, identify risks earlier, and intervene when it matters most.
Across all 10 laws, a single thread runs through AdvaMed's 2026 Patients First Agenda: helping patients reach the medical technologies that improve health, enable earlier diagnosis, and strengthen care. Each win closes a specific gap—and together they mark meaningful progress for patients nationwide.
We're grateful for the chance to work alongside AdvaMed and a community of patient advocates committed to the same goal. As medical technology continues to advance, partnerships like this one ensure that progress reaches the people who need it most.
Want to learn more about AdvaMed's Patients First Agenda or get involved in patient-access advocacy?