October 2, 2026

The Infusion Providers Alliance (IPA) submitted comments to the Senate Finance Committee in response to the Request for Information, “Health Coverage That Works for Everyone,” released by Ranking Member Ron Wyden and other Senate Democrats.

IPA’s comments detailed payer policies that can limit access and choice for patients and providers, delay treatment, increase patients’ out-of-pocket costs, and interfere with treatment decisions made by patients and their treating providers. IPA also raised concerns about how vertical integration among insurers, pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs), specialty pharmacies, and other entities can create incentives to steer patients and health care spending toward affiliated entities.

IPA’s comments emphasized three priorities:

  • Mandatory white bagging and related restrictions. IPA called for protections against mandatory specialty-pharmacy sourcing, inappropriate self-administration mandates, and medical-to-pharmacy benefit shifts that undermine patient and provider choice. IPA emphasized the need to preserve medical-benefit coverage and protect patient access to high-quality, lower-cost care delivered in community-based infusion settings.
  • Prior authorization and utilization management. IPA called for reforms to reduce treatment delays and administrative burden associated with prior authorization, establish clear and enforceable decision timeframes, protect against inappropriate denials for previously authorized care, and provide timely exceptions to step therapy protocols. IPA expressed support for the Improving Seniors’ Timely Access to Care Act and the Safe Step Act.
  • Copay accumulators, maximizers, and medical-benefit copay-assistance programs. IPA expressed support for the HELP Copays Act and urged Congress to ensure financial assistance benefits patients and counts toward deductibles and annual out-of-pocket limits. IPA also highlighted medical-benefit copay-assistance programs operated by third parties or affiliated entities that can delay provider reimbursement, create financial and administrative burdens, and disrupt continuity of care.

Across all issues addressed in the comments, IPA urged Congress to protect timely access to high-quality, lower-cost community-based infusion care and preserve patient and provider choice.

Read IPA’s full comments here.

About the Infusion Providers Alliance

The Infusion Providers Alliance (IPA) is committed to protecting the integrity of the provider-patient relationship by empowering providers and patients to choose the most appropriate treatment together. We advocate for policies that ensure timely and adequate patient access to high quality care in IPA members’ convenient, community-based, non-hospital settings. IPA members operate over 1,000 in-office or stand-alone ambulatory infusion centers across 45 states nationwide, delivering value to the health care system and improved outcomes to patients.

All inquiries should be emailed to ewarren@infusionprovidersalliance.org.