9 Advocacy Sessions You Need Add to Your CAP24 Agenda

Whether you join in person for all four days or just one, or you choose to participate afterwards on demand, there’s no greater opportunity to learn, grow, and explore than at CAP24! Here are nine sessions guaranteed to get you excited about how advocacy impacts the practice of pathology.

Hot Topic: Pathways for Pathologists and Laboratories Under FDA Oversight of LDTs: Practical Aspects
Examine how the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) can potentially enforce regulation of laboratory-developed tests (LDTs), propose pathways laboratories might use to comply, and provide an evaluation of the options possible to reduce regulatory burden going forward. This course will review significant aspects of the final rule and its impact on pathologists, laboratories, other care providers, and patients. Don’t miss this must-see course to gain the knowledge you need to be prepared for the future!

Date and time: Tuesday, October 22, 10:30 AM-12:00 PM

Panelists
Bobbi S. Pritt MD, FCAP
Jonathan R. Genzen MD, PhD, FCAP
A. Joe Saad MD, CPE, FCAP

Advocacy Town Hall
Get your questions answered on FDA LDT oversight regulation Advocacy Town Hall. The CAP works to expand the public policy impact of pathology at the federal and state levels of government by engaging with our members. This is your chance to discuss the impacts of the LDT regulation with the CAP’s advocacy leaders and ask questions. This session provides CAP members with a better understanding of the scope of our advocacy agenda and how it impacts the practice of pathology.

Date and time: Sunday, October 20, 9:30 AM-10:30 AM

Moderator:
A. Joe Saad MD, CPE, FCAP

Panelists:
Diana M. Cardona MD, MBA, FCAP
Matthew R. Foster, MD, MMM, FCAP
Theresa S. Emory, MD, FCAP

Advocacy Isn’t for Me … Or Is It?
Pathology's influence extends well beyond the laboratory and into policy making. Discover how to get involved in advocacy—from getting started and understanding the issues to first-time Hill visits and state-level leadership—with panelists who will share insights and discuss the transformative impact of advocacy on our profession.

Date and time: Saturday, October 19, 9:00 AM-10:00 AM

Moderator:
Swati Bhardwaj, MD, MBBS

Panelists:
Kathryn T. Knight, MD, FCAP
William H. Yong, MD FCAP
Elizabeth V. McLeod, MD, MS

Advocacy Policy Roundtable: Pathologist Supply in the US—Too Many or Too Few?
Too many pathologists in the US, or too few? Collaboration between the CAP and the American Academy of Medical Colleges (AAMC) has radically revised the count of US pathologists and shed light on where current trends are going. Whether you're just entering practice or you’re the senior member responsible for recruitment, the demographics of our specialty matter to you. Our new understanding of current and trending US pathology numbers is essential to planning, for individuals and for the specialty, and this is what our work with the AAMC and this course is about.

Date and time: Tuesday, October 22, 8:30 AM-9:30 AM

Panelists:
W. Stephen Black-Schaffer MD, FCAP
A. Joe Saad MD, CPE, FCAP
David Gross PhD, College of American Pathologists

Strategies to Address the Use of Race in Laboratory Medicine—A Work in Progress
This course will review and distinguish between the concepts of race, ethnicity, and genetic ancestry, and will address laboratory medicine practices that misguidedly use race and ethnicity. It will also highlight areas that require more significant inclusion of racialized minorities. This course will distinguish race and ethnicity from genetic ancestry, identify areas of laboratory medicine where race and/or ethnicity are used inappropriately and identify areas of laboratory medicine where inclusion of ancestrally diverse populations can improve care.

Date and time: Monday, October 21, 2:30 PM-3:30 PM

Presenter
Cristina C. Pierre, PhD, DABCC

Current Payment Policy Challenges in Pathology Practice
Pathologists are often challenged by payment policy-related issues regarding the services they provide. It is important that pathologists better understand how Advocacy seeks to influence payment policies, why changes in reimbursement occur, and how to adapt within their practices. Workshop participants will gain knowledge and insight into the engagement opportunities available. The faculty will present payment policy information associated with Physician Fee Schedule valuation (that can influence payment policy development), Clinical Laboratory Fee Schedule Payment Reform (PAMA), emerging payment models, and other payment challenges and possible solutions.

Date and time: Sunday, October 20, 2:30 PM-3:30 PM

Presenter
A. Joe Saad MD, CPE, FCAP

Advocacy Update at the House of Delegates Meeting
Year after year, pathologists’ Medicare payments are under threat, cuts to clinical laboratory payments hang in the balance and the new FDA LDT rule could have negative impacts on pathologists and laboratories across the country. Learn about the most current Advocacy policies affecting the practice of pathology and how you can make an impact on Capitol Hill and protect the future of our specialty.

Date and time: Saturday, October 19, 2:15 PM-3:10 PM

Presenters
A. Joe Saad MD, CPE, FCAP
Rebecca F. Yorke, MD, FCAP

How Is My Payment Determined for Pathology Services?
Learn about concepts of current procedural terminology (CPT) coding and payment for services on the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (PFS). In this highly-interactive course, faculty will provide an introduction to and overview of the development of current coding, Relative Value Scale Update Committee (RUC ) valuations, and billing practices-Details on how the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) values codes on the PFS-Particulars on how CPT codes are modified and the steps involved-Information regarding aspects of payment policy such as the National Correct Coding Initiative (NCCI) Additionally, faculty will share information about the changing payment and regulatory environment, anticipate future developments, and enable the participants to better adapt their practices to current reimbursement trends.

Date and Time: Sunday, October 19, 9:30 AM – 10:30 AM

Presenters:
Mark S. Synovec, MD, FCAP
Jonathan L. Myles, MD, FCAP

CPT Coding…You Can’t Practice Without It! Why Pathologists Need to Understand CPT Coding
Is understanding current procedural terminology (CPT) coding and its impact on your practice making your head spin? Get an insider expert’s insights and examples of current CPT coding practices and relevant payment policies for pathology and laboratory medicine.

Date and Time: Sunday, October 19, 7:30 AM – 8:30 AM

Presenter:
Mark S. Synovec, MD, FCAP