Policy Statements & Letters to Policymakers

For decades, NORD has pursued federal and state policies to improve the lives of Americans impacted by rare diseases. This page is updated daily to provide timely information on our policy efforts. Please contact [email protected] if you have questions or need additional information. 

NORD letter to Washington in support of Senate Bill 5806, a bill pertaining to utilization management

Published: Feb 8, 2019
Tagged in: Access to Affordable, Adequate Coverage Utilization Management

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Coalition comments to CMS regarding Tennessee’s Section 1115 Waiver

Published: Feb 7, 2019
Tagged in: Access to Affordable, Adequate Coverage Medicaid Section 1115 Waivers

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NORD letter to Arizona regarding copay assistance

Published: Feb 6, 2019
Tagged in: Access to Affordable, Adequate Coverage Copay Assistance

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NORD letter to Minnesota regarding SF 165, a bill pertaining to Emergency Medical Services (EMS) protocols

Published: Feb 6, 2019
Tagged in: Access to Affordable, Adequate Coverage Emergency Medical Services

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NORD comments to FDA on the Framework for the Real-World Evidence Program

Published: Feb 5, 2019
Tagged in: Access to Innovative Medicines and Therapies Patient Focused Drug Development

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NORD letter to Oregon regarding Senate Bill 452, a bill pertaining to Emergency Medical Services (EMS) protocols

Published: Feb 4, 2019
Tagged in: Access to Affordable, Adequate Coverage Emergency Medical Services

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Coalition comments to Utah in opposition of bills seeking to restrict the voter-approved expansion of Medicaid

Published: Feb 4, 2019
Tagged in: Access to Affordable, Adequate Coverage Medicare, Medicaid, and Private Health Insurance Coverage

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Coalition letter urging Congress to reauthorize the Pediatric Subspecialty Loan Repayment

Published: Feb 1, 2019
Tagged in: Advancing Rare Disease Research and Regulatory Science

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NORD letter to Iowa in support of a strong newborn screening program

Published: Jan 30, 2019
Tagged in: Access to Diagnostics Newborn Screening

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Coalition comments regarding proposals from the Administration to change the six protected classes within Medicare Part D

Published: Jan 25, 2019
Tagged in: Access to Affordable, Adequate Coverage Out of Pocket Prescription Drug Costs

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MAPRx coalition comments regarding the Administration’s recent Medicare Part D proposals

Published: Jan 25, 2019
Tagged in: Access to Affordable, Adequate Coverage Out of Pocket Prescription Drug Costs

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NORD letter to Representative McGovern asking him to sponsor the Medical Nutrition Equity Act

Published: Jan 25, 2019
Tagged in: Access to Affordable, Adequate Coverage Medical Nutrition

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NORD comments to Wisconsin regarding cosponsorship of step therapy reform legislation (LRB-0350/1)

Published: Jan 24, 2019
Tagged in: Access to Affordable, Adequate Coverage Utilization Management

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Coalition comments to the President and Congress outlining the detrimental impact of the shutdown on FDA and asking for it to be brought back to its full capacity

Published: Jan 23, 2019
Tagged in: Access to Innovative Medicines and Therapies Protecting FDA Standards for Safe and Effective Drugs

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NORD comments to South Carolina regarding its Community Engagement Section 1115 waiver

Published: Jan 22, 2019
Tagged in: Access to Affordable, Adequate Coverage Medicaid Section 1115 Waivers

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Coalition comments to CMS regarding Oklahoma’s Section 1115 waiver

Published: Jan 18, 2019
Tagged in: Access to Affordable, Adequate Coverage Medicaid Section 1115 Waivers

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NORD comments to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regarding a patient engagement in medical device clinical trials discussion document

Published: Jan 8, 2019
Tagged in: Access to Innovative Medicines and Therapies Patient Focused Drug Development

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Coalition comments to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) regarding parts of its proposed rule pertaining to marketplace integrity

Published: Jan 8, 2019
Tagged in: Access to Affordable, Adequate Coverage Medicare, Medicaid, and Private Health Insurance Coverage

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Coalition comments to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) regarding Virginia’s Section 1115 waiver

Published: Jan 4, 2019
Tagged in: Access to Affordable, Adequate Coverage Medicaid Section 1115 Waivers

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NORD comments to CMS regarding its International Price Index (IPI) Model proposal

Published: Dec 31, 2018
Tagged in: Access to Affordable Medicines The Administration's Blueprint

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Coalition comments to the Administration regarding its recently released guidance on Section 1332 waivers

Published: Dec 18, 2018
Tagged in: Access to Affordable, Adequate Coverage Section 1332 Waivers

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Coalition letter to the Administration and to all governors and insurance commissioners regarding recently proposed changes to Section 1332 waivers

Published: Dec 18, 2018
Tagged in: Access to Affordable, Adequate Coverage Section 1332 Waivers

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Coalition statement in response to a ruling in the Texas v. United States case regarding the Affordable Care Act (ACA)

Published: Dec 17, 2018
Tagged in: Access to Affordable, Adequate Coverage Affordable Care Act

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NORD comments to FDA regarding rare disease drug development and the role of pre-investigational new drug (IND) application meetings

Published: Dec 17, 2018
Tagged in: Access to Innovative Medicines and Therapies Patient Focused Drug Development

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NORD comments to FDA regarding patient-focused drug development

Published: Dec 16, 2018
Tagged in: Access to Innovative Medicines and Therapies Patient Focused Drug Development

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NORD comments to FDA regarding gene therapies for rare diseases

Published: Dec 14, 2018
Tagged in: Access to Innovative Medicines and Therapies Gene Therapies

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NORD comments in support of Ohio Senate Bill 56, legislation pertaining to step therapy protocol reform

Published: Dec 4, 2018
Tagged in: Access to Affordable, Adequate Coverage Utilization Management

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Coalition comments to Delaware’s Department of Insurance in support of a proposed rule that would place restrictions on short-term, limited-duration health plans.

Published: Dec 3, 2018
Tagged in: Access to Affordable, Adequate Coverage Short-Term, Limited-Duration Health Plans and Association Health Plans

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Coalition letter to the Senate in support of the MODERN Labeling Act (S.3519)

Published: Nov 15, 2018
Tagged in: Access to Innovative Medicines and Therapies MODERN Labeling

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Coalition letter to the Council of the District of Columbia in support of a bill that would place restrictions on short-term, limited-duration plans and association health plans

Published: Nov 9, 2018
Tagged in: Access to Affordable, Adequate Coverage Short-Term, Limited-Duration Health Plans and Association Health Plans

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Coalition letter urging Massachusetts to extend the authorization for copay cards

Published: Nov 7, 2018
Tagged in: Access to Affordable, Adequate Coverage Out of Pocket Prescription Drug Costs

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NORD letter in support of adding MPS I and Pompe to Indiana’s newborn screening panel

Published: Oct 26, 2018
Tagged in: Access to Diagnostics Newborn Screening

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Coalition comments to CMS regarding Michigan’s Section 1115 waiver

Published: Oct 26, 2018
Tagged in: Access to Affordable, Adequate Coverage Medicaid Section 1115 Waivers

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Coalition statement encouraging CMS to withdrawn guidance allowing states to subsidize short-term, limited-duration plans starting in 2020

Published: Oct 24, 2018
Tagged in: Access to Affordable, Adequate Coverage Affordable Care Act

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Coalition letter thanking Governor Wolf of Pennsylvania for vetoing HB2138

Published: Oct 22, 2018
Tagged in: Access to Affordable, Adequate Coverage Medicaid Section 1115 Waivers

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NORD comments to Virginia regarding its Section 1115 waiver

Published: Oct 20, 2018
Tagged in: Access to Affordable, Adequate Coverage Medicaid Section 1115 Waivers

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Coalition comments to CMS regarding Alabama’s Section 1115 waiver

Published: Oct 17, 2018
Tagged in: Access to Affordable, Adequate Coverage Medicaid Section 1115 Waivers

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Coalition letter thanking Congress for increasing funding for research

Published: Oct 16, 2018
Tagged in: Advancing Rare Disease Research and Regulatory Science Ensuring Adequate Funding for NIH

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Coalition letter asking Congress to reauthorize loan repayment for pediatric subspecialists

Published: Oct 9, 2018
Tagged in: Advancing Rare Disease Research and Regulatory Science

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Coalition letter thanking Congress for funding the National Neurological Conditions Surveillance System

Published: Oct 2, 2018
Tagged in: Advancing Rare Disease Research and Regulatory Science

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Coalition letter to Secretary Azar regarding the patient protections in H.R.2077 that ought to be incorporated when implementing step therapy in Medicare Advantage plans

Published: Oct 1, 2018
Tagged in: Access to Affordable, Adequate Coverage Utilization Management

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Coalition statement regarding Maine’s SPA to expand Medicaid

Published: Oct 1, 2018
Tagged in: Access to Affordable, Adequate Coverage Medicare, Medicaid, and Private Health Insurance Coverage

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Coalition letter asking Secretary Azar and Administrator Verma to approve Maine’s State Plan Amendment (SPA) to expand Medicaid

Published: Oct 1, 2018
Tagged in: Access to Affordable, Adequate Coverage Medicare, Medicaid, and Private Health Insurance Coverage

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Coalition letter to Secretary Azar regarding the recent decision to allow step therapy in Medicare Advantage plans

Published: Sep 26, 2018
Tagged in: Access to Affordable, Adequate Coverage Utilization Management

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Coalition comments to South Dakota regarding its Section 1115 waiver

Published: Sep 26, 2018
Tagged in: Access to Affordable, Adequate Coverage Medicaid Section 1115 Waivers

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NORD comments to FDA regarding its definition of low-prevalence in a recent draft guidance

Published: Sep 25, 2018
Tagged in: Access to Affordable Medicines Access to Innovative Medicines and Therapies Orphan Drug Act

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NORD comments to FDA regarding innovation and competition in the biological products marketplace

Published: Sep 21, 2018
Tagged in: Access to Affordable Medicines Biosimilars

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Coalition letter to the Senate regarding its recent bill on pre-existing conditions protections

Published: Sep 19, 2018
Tagged in: Access to Affordable, Adequate Coverage Affordable Care Act

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Coalition letter asking Congress to continue supporting the medical expense deduction

Published: Sep 5, 2018
Tagged in: Advancing Rare Disease Research and Regulatory Science

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Coalition statement addressing the Senate’s recent bill on pre-existing conditions protections

Published: Sep 4, 2018
Tagged in: Access to Affordable, Adequate Coverage Affordable Care Act

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