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- CAP, Laboratory Groups Ask Congressional Leaders to Prevent Cuts to Clinical Lab Services
Last month, the CAP joined the American Clinical Laboratory Association and several other laboratory and medical groups to urge leaders in Congress to take up and pass the Saving Access to Laboratory Services Act (SALSA). The CAP advocates to protect the value of pathology and clinical laboratory services. The CAP has strongly opposed Medicare cuts to fees for clinical laboratory services.
The bicameral, bipartisan legislation would update Medicare’s payment system for laboratory services to make it predictable and sustainable, the groups said in a letter to lawmakers on May 22. Without congressional action, Medicare reimbursement cuts – a fourth round scheduled to begin January 1, 2024 – of up to 15% could jeopardize access to many clinical laboratory tests that are used to diagnose, monitor, prevent, and manage common diseases for Medicare beneficiaries.
SALSA would give the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services new authority to collect private market data through statistically valid sampling from all laboratory segments for the widely available test services where previous data collection was inadequate. By providing a gradual phase-in approach, the bill protects clinical laboratories, the Medicare program, and patients from the impact of dramatic rate increases or decreases.
How Pathologists Are Fighting Against These Cuts
During the Pathologists Leadership Summit, CAP members advocated to support passage of SALSA. Pathologists can still encourage their representatives and senators to support the bill by signing into our Action Center.