Access to healthcare in rural areas is challenging – whether hospitals, doctors, or specialty medicines – but thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act’s Initial Price Applicability Year (IPAY) process, you have an opportunity to make a direct contribution to ensuring access.

As part of the Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will host public engagement events that allow patients, caregivers, clinicians, and others to share their lived experiences with the drugs selected for negotiation and renegotiation. CMS seeks the public’s experience relevant to the selected drugs, the condition(s) that the selected drug may be used to treat, and other medications that may be used to manage those conditions.

In April, CMS will host livestreamed town hall meetings for all selected drugs, as well as patient-focused roundtable events, one for each drug selected for negotiation and renegotiation.

Rural Minds encourages patients and caregivers to participate in this process to ensure the continued availability of important therapies for challenging conditions. You need to register by Friday, March 6.

• To register for a roundtable event, click here.  

• To register for the town hall meeting, click here. 

The roundtable events will be held April 6 – April 17, 2026, and the town hall will be held April 22 – April 23, 2026. Here is the schedule for both:

Roundtable Events

• Anoro Ellipta (Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease): Monday, April 6 from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. ET  

• Biktarvy (Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 infection): Monday, April 6 from 2:30 – 4:30 p.m. ET  

• Botox; Botox Cosmetic (Chronic migraine; Overactive bladder; Spasticity; Other movement disorders: Wednesday, April 8 from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. ET  

• Cimzia (Crohn’s disease; Plaque psoriasis; Psoriatic arthritis; Rheumatoid arthritis): Wednesday, April 8 from 2:30 – 4:30 p.m. ET

• Cosentyx (Plaque psoriasis; Psoriatic arthritis): Thursday, April 9 from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. ET  

• Entyvio (Crohn’s disease; Ulcerative colitis): Thursday, April 9 from 2:30 – 4:30 p.m. ET

• Erleada (Prostate cancer): Friday, April 10 from 12 – 2 p.m. ET

• Kisqali (Breast cancer): Monday, April 13 from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. ET

• Lenvima (Thyroid cancer; Endometrial cancer; Liver cancer; Kidney cancer): Monday, April 13 from 2:30 – 4:30 p.m. ET  

• Orencia (Psoriatic arthritis; Rheumatoid arthritis): Tuesday, April 14 from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. ET

• Rexulti (Major depressive disorder; Schizophrenia; Agitation associated with dementia due to Alzheimer’s disease): Tuesday, April 14 from 2:30 – 4:30 p.m. ET  

• Trulicity (Type 2 diabetes; Type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease or multiple cardiovascular risk factors): Wednesday, April 15 from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. ET 

• Verzenio (Breast cancer): Wednesday, April 15 from 2:30 – 4:30 p.m. ET

• Xeljanz; Xeljanz XR (Xeljanz XR - Psoriatic arthritis; Rheumatoid arthritis; Ulcerative colitis): Thursday, April 16 from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. ET  

• Xolair (Asthma; Chronic spontaneous urticaria): Thursday, April 16 from 2:30 – 4:30 p.m. ET

Town Hall Meetings

• Wednesday, April 22:

• Session 1 from 10:30 a.m. – 12 p.m. ET

• Anoro Ellipta, Biktarvy, Botox; Botox Cosmetic, Rexulti

• Session 2 from 2 – 3:30 p.m. ET

• Kisqali, Verzenio, Erleada, Lenvima

• Thursday, April 23:

• Session 3 from 10:30 a.m. – 12 p.m. ET

• Xolair, Cosentyx, Orencia, Xeljanz; Xeljanz XR

• Session 4 from 2 – 3:30 p.m. ET

• Cimzia, Entyvio, Trulicity