PCOC 2026 Recap
Step Into the Future of Cancer Care
Leaders from community oncology, academic cancer centers, payers, and industry met in Nashville for two days of cross-stakeholder conversation at the AJMC® Patient-Centered Oncology Care® conference.
Two days in Nashville
- Theme
- Step Into the Future of Cancer Care
- Cochairs
- Kathy Oubre, MS
Chris Prakash, MD
Scott Soefje, PharmD, MBA - Program
- 16 panels over 2 days
The AJMC® annual Patient-Centered Oncology Care® (PCOC) conference returned to The Conrad Nashville on September 24 to September 25, 2026, bringing together leaders from community oncology, academic cancer centers, payers, and industry under the theme Step Into the Future of Cancer Care. Cochairs Kathy Oubre, MS, of Pontchartrain Cancer Center; Sucharu “Chris” Prakash, MD, of The US Oncology Network; and Scott Soefje, PharmD, MBA, of Mayo Clinic guided 16 panel discussions featuring 75 faculty.
From innovation to the business of care
Day 1 opened with results from the 2026 Oncology Care Index, a survey of community oncologists and practice administrators showing that AI use has more than doubled in a year even as prior authorization remains the top barrier to care. From there, panels moved from formulary decisions and payer coverage to precision medicine, caregivers, and drug development. Day 2 turned to the business of delivering care: cost and capacity for novel therapies, toxicity and quality of life, policy pressures from Washington, early-onset cancer screening, AI-driven decision-making, and drug pricing, closing with a debate on whether cancer care will move into patients’ homes.
OncoVenture and the patient voice
New this year, PCOC debuted OncoVenture™, an innovation showcase where Reimagine Care and Careology shared case studies with oncology leaders on how to scale patient-centered solutions in real-world practice. Patients also took a visible role through an on-site patient spotlight and new sessions focused on caregivers and the rise of cancer in younger adults. To learn more, look for the annual PCOC recap issue of Evidence-Based Oncology®.
What we heard at PCOC 2026
Select a takeaway to see the numbers behind it and read the full panel coverage on AJMC.com.
Takeaway 1 of 6
Innovation Is Stuck Between the Lab and the Community Clinic
Community practices treat most patients with cancer, yet 79% of oncologists in the 2026 Oncology Care Index see a lasting gap between where innovation is developed and where it reaches patients. Prior authorization topped the list of barriers, while AI use among community oncologists jumped from 19% to 49% in a year.
AI use among community oncologists
Takeaway 2 of 6
FDA Approval Doesn’t Settle Access
Accelerated approvals and surrogate end points are complicating formulary decisions. About 20% of accelerated approvals are eventually withdrawn, said Scott Soefje, PharmD, MBA, of Mayo Clinic, and practices can front millions for a single therapy while waiting up to 90 days to be paid.
Accelerated approvals eventually withdrawn
~1 in 5 accelerated approvals is eventually withdrawn
Waiting to be paid
Takeaway 3 of 6
NCCN Concordance Is a Floor, Not a Guarantee
Payers are narrowing which guideline-listed regimens they cover, and cost and step edits often decide what gets authorized. With employers shaping benefit designs, one large insurer alone manages more than 30,000 of them, said Tracy Spinks.
Takeaway 4 of 6
Pay for the Care, Not Only the Vial
Payers cover novel therapies like CAR T-cell therapy and bispecifics but not the staff, training, and monitoring needed to deliver them. Panelists named workforce and inpatient beds as the real limits on capacity and asked payers to reimburse the full cost of care.
Covered
- CAR T-cell therapy
- Bispecifics
Not covered
- Staff
- Training
- Monitoring
Real limits on capacity: workforce and inpatient beds
Takeaway 5 of 6
Policy Pressure Is Squeezing Community Oncology
The Medicare Part D out-of-pocket cap is helping patients afford treatment, but drug price negotiation, 340B changes, and Medicaid cuts are straining practices. Without legislative relief, practice reimbursement could fall 30% to 40%, warned Aaron Lyss, MBA, of OneOncology.
Helping patients
- Medicare Part D out-of-pocket cap
Straining practices
- Drug price negotiation
- 340B changes
- Medicaid cuts
Takeaway 6 of 6
Will Cancer Care Come Home?
PCOC closed with a debate on whether infused therapies will shift to patients’ homes as payers push for it. Some panelists urged practices to get ahead of the change and shape it with payers; others warned it could erode the margins that keep independent practices running.
The closing debate
We know that the payers are going to drive towards home therapy. So, how do we get ahead of these conversations with them?Lekan Ajayi, PharmD, Highlands Oncology Group
The drug margin is still carrying our day.Glenn Balasky, Rocky Mountain Cancer Centers (retired)
Bigger than last year, on every count
Scenes from PCOC 2026
Meet the faculty of PCOC 2026
The following titles were accurate as of the PCOC 2026 event but may have changed since then.