Advancing oncology policy through grassroots collaboration: A state society model for sustainable advocacy and cancer care delivery.

270 Background: Equitable cancer care requires policies that address patient access, affordability, and health system barriers. In response to this need, the Association of Cancer Care Centers (ACCC), in collaboration with 16 oncology-focused state societies, launched a national initiative in 2021 to strengthen state-led advocacy infrastructure and empower multidisciplinary oncology teams to influence policy change. Methods: Between 2021 and 2025, ACCC facilitated structured sessions with participating state oncology societies to support the development and growth of oncology-based policy committees and formalize scalable policy action plans tailored to each committee’s size, knowledge, and resources. To identify and implement effective strategies for engaging diverse provider voices in oncology policy, committees partnered with local lobbyists, national organizations, and advocacy coalitions. ACCC supported these efforts through resource sharing, virtual town halls, and cross-state mentorship. Results: Over the course of the initiative, more than 130 multidisciplinary oncology care team members from 16 state societies engaged in advocacy activities that contributed to measurable policy impact: Outcomes included prior authorization reform (Minnesota), cross-state collaboration to counter legislation limiting Affordable Care Act insurance protections (Missouri–Tennessee), and advancement of biomarker testing legislation through strategic partnerships (Colorado–American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network). Additional efforts included policy education linked to election cycles (Wisconsin post-election analysis), advancement of fertility preservation legislation through coalition building (Minnesota–Hawaii), the release of best practice guidance on capturing patient stories for legislative change (Wisconsin), and a multi-society education campaign empowering fellow-led advocacy. Conclusions: This model highlights the role of structured grassroots collaboration in advancing public policy that supports equitable, patient-centered cancer care. By uniting state-based societies across regions, the initiative demonstrates how policy infrastructure can be leveraged to improve care delivery and access across diverse oncology settings.