In just two days, registration closes for a rare opportunity to speak directly into federal healthcare policy.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is hosting patient-focused listening sessions as part of the next round of Medicare drug price negotiations. These conversations will help shape how the government evaluates the value, affordability, and access of medicines used by millions of Americans.

If you’ve ever felt like decisions are made about patients instead of with them—this is your chance to change that.

Why Participation Matters

This round of negotiations includes 15 drugs affecting approximately 1.8 million Medicare beneficiaries.

But what CMS cannot see in the data alone is what those treatments actually mean in real life:

• The stress or ease of getting a prescription each month
• The trade-offs families make to stay on treatment
• The difference a medication makes in daily life—or what happens when access is delayed

That’s where patients and caregivers come in.

You Don’t Have to Show Up Unprepared

We know speaking into a federal process like this can feel intimidating—but it doesn’t have to be.

At Patients Rising, we created a simple, practical set of resources to help you understand what’s happening and how to participate effectively. 

👉 Use our Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Toolkit 

It walks you through:

• What this program is and why it matters
• How to frame your experience in a way policymakers understand
• Tips to make your comments clear and impactful

Don’t Miss the Caregiver Perspective

There’s another critical voice in this process that often goes unheard: caregivers.

The National Alliance for Caregiving developed a caregiver advocacy toolkit to help bring that perspective forward—and it’s incredibly powerful.

Their data shows:

• More than 63 million Americans are providing care
• Nearly half experience financial hardship
• Many are performing complex medical tasks without formal training

Caregivers are often the ones:

• Managing medications
• Coordinating care
• Navigating insurance and access barriers
• Carrying the emotional and financial weight of treatment decisions

If you’re a caregiver—or love someone who is—this perspective belongs in the room.

Register Before It Closes

Registration for these CMS listening sessions closes Wednesday.

Opportunities like this don’t come often—and they directly influence how healthcare decisions are made at the federal level.

👉 Register now and make your voice part of the conversation

Final Thought

Healthcare policy is strongest when it reflects real life.

Not just data. Not just models.
But the real life experiences of patients and the people who care for them every day.

This is your chance to make sure that experience is heard.