CMS Launches New Medicare Advantage Provider Complaint Form
Published Date: February 9, 2026
NCODA firmly opposes step edits and other utilization management practices that delay or restrict access to evidence-based oncology care. These policies can interfere with clinical decision-making, delay treatment, and impose unnecessary burdens on patients and cancer care teams. Ensuring timely access to appropriate cancer therapies remains a top advocacy priority for NCODA.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has launched a new Medicare Advantage Provider Complaint Form, giving healthcare providers a direct way to report issues with Medicare Advantage plans. NCODA strongly encourages oncologists and their cancer care teams to use this new CMS tool to help address ongoing barriers to timely, high-quality oncology care.
Across the oncology care continuum, providers are increasingly impacted by unnecessary prior authorization requirements, step edits, and inappropriate coverage denials. These administrative hurdles delay access to evidence-based cancer treatments and create avoidable disruptions for patients—many of whom are among the most vulnerable populations served by Medicare Advantage plans.
The new CMS provider complaint form allows providers to formally submit concerns related to Medicare Advantage plan behavior, including access issues, prior authorization delays, and denial patterns. All submissions are entered into a centralized CMS tracking system, enabling regulators to better identify trends, assess compliance, and take action when plan practices negatively impact patient care.
This matters because provider-reported data drives oversight and policy change. CMS relies on documented complaints to understand how Medicare Advantage plans operate in real-world clinical settings. Each complaint strengthens the case for improved accountability, reduced administrative burden, and stronger protections for patient access to care.
Please take a few minutes to share your experiences. Your perspective is essential to helping CMS understand how Medicare Advantage plan requirements affect patient outcomes and clinical decision-making.
Together, we can collectively advocate for timely access to care, reduced delays, and a healthcare system that better supports patients with cancer.
Stay tuned for additional information NCODA will be sharing related to step edits and the broader effort needed to raise awareness about their negative impact on patient care.
Submit a Medicare Advantage provider complaint to CMS here.