Despite efforts to avoid controversial issues during an election year, Congress has been thrown into the middle of several domestic and international crises that have no simple solutions. As the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shutdown enters its second month and airport security lines grow, Democrats and Republicans are under increasing pressure to find a compromise. While new DHS leadership may encourage negotiations, TSA, FEMA, and other DHS personnel continue to work without pay.
Military operations in Iran have begun to dominate the legislative calendar as the Trump Administration prepares a $200 billion funding request to sustain U.S. military efforts. Despite many pending bipartisan reauthorizations this year (e.g., the Stem Cell Therapeutic and Research Reauthorization Act that expires in September), the Senate’s calendar is jammed by the SAVE America Act (the Safeguard American Voted Eligibility Act), which President Trump insists Congress pass before he signs any other legislation into law.
2026 Payer RFI Forms Now Available
We’re pleased to announce that the 2026 Payer Request for Information (RFI) forms are now available on the ASTCT website. ASTCT's Payer Relations Committee developed these forms as fillable PDFs to make it easier for ASTCT members to complete and submit responses.
2026 Payer RFI Forms
Updated CAR-T Therapy Coding and Billing Guide
ASTCT’s Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-cell (CAR-T) Therapy Coding and Billing Guide is now updated to reflect the latest information for providers. This essential resource helps hospitals and providers navigate appropriate coding and billing for inpatient and outpatient CAR-T therapy and related ancillary services, including FDA-approved commercial products and therapies administered through clinical trials or expanded access programs. The Guide also outlines key billing differences and considerations between government and private payers to support accurate, informed reimbursement practices.
What's New
- Aligning references to HIPAA’s administrative simplification provisions to reflect current regulatory terminology
- Validating manufacturer Q-code descriptions against their published coding and billing guides
- Providing additional clarification regarding Medicare clinical trial and no-cost product billing
- Updating references to the final 2026 rules, where applicable
- Spelling out acronyms and adding definitions where appropriate to provide clarity
View the Updated Guide