Advocacy News

• Dr. Zhai highlights importance of advocacy at California meeting
• CAP pushes to ease quality measures burden
• Illinois updates health plan standards
• Trump targets state AI laws
• Pathologists summit set for 2026

The California Society of Pathologists recently held its annual meeting, featuring an update on CAP activities by President Qihui "Jim" Zhai, MD, FCAP.

Dr. Zhai highlighted key advocacy updates and clinical advancements in partnership with the CAP, emphasizing the vital role of state and national collaboration in strengthening the voice of pathology. 

• Dr. Zhai also outlined advocacy priorities at the state and federal levels for 2026, including payment cuts and workforce and supply chain issues.

Go deeper: Learn more about the CAP's State Pathology Societies' resources for your local society.

As the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) considers moving toward digital quality measures, the CAP is advocating to ensure those efforts remain meaningful and sustainable for pathologists. 

The CAP recently submitted comments in response to a request from the Partnership for Quality Measurement, CMS' consensus-based entity for measure development. 

• The request sought input on the benefits, challenges, and resource needs around digital quality measures.

Zoom in: The CMS has been moving toward the creation of these measures in payment programs for several years. 

• While digital quality measures have the potential to reduce the burden of measure reporting, the CAP is concerned that CMS’ current requirements will place the measures out of reach for pathologists. 

What we're saying: Our response highlights the benefits of digital quality measures in lowering the burden of quality measure reporting and the potential to increase interoperability.

• However, the CAP says strict requirements for codes could hinder efforts to capture meaningful data.
• The significance of the critical work of pathology can’t be captured in existing code sets, and nuance could be lost.
• The CAP stresses that the development of quality measures should remain with clinical experts—it shouldn’t be assumed that digital quality measures have a lower bar for development.

What's next: The CAP will continue to work with the partnership to ensure that pathologists have the opportunity to benefit from digital quality measures as they’re developed.

After years of continued advocacy, Illinois is adopting stronger network adequacy standards for patients to access essential hospital-based specialists.

The Illinois Department of Insurance is incorporating new standards into the 2026 Health Plan Network Adequacy checklist.

Background: The checklist changes are a result of advocacy by the Illinois Society of Pathologists and the CAP to pass 2024's network adequacy law.

Zoom in: Starting January 1, all state insurers must demonstrate that in-network hospitals include essential specialists like radiologists, pathologists, anesthesiologists, and emergency room physicians.

• These changes aim to enhance patient access to comprehensive health care services.

Details: Insurers in the state are required to show compliance by having these specialists as preferred providers within each in-network hospital.

• The Illinois Department of Insurance may extend requirements to include additional hospital-based specialists.
• The department updates checklists annually and will be making applicable revisions reflecting this new policy in the new year.
• All required mandates/rules are still enforced upon the effective date, regardless of their inclusion on the checklists, and all applicable regulations are enforced by the department, including network adequacy. Discrepancies can be addressed with the department by submitting a complaint.

What's next: The department will establish a review process to assess the adequacy of standards and consider adding more specialties.

Late last week, President Donald Trump released a new executive order pre-empting state artificial intelligence Iaws. 

Dive in: The goal of the Ensuring a National Policy Framework for Artificial Intelligence executive order is to allow US AI companies to innovate without "cumbersome regulation."

• The administration has argued that state-based AI regulations will hinder innovation and growth for the technology, and different regulatory statutes make compliance challenging.

The order argues for the eventual creation of a minimally burdensome national policy framework for AI. 

• It will seek to pre-empt onerous state laws on AI by withholding funding from the federal Broadband Equity Access and Deployment Program. The White House will determine which state AI laws are onerous.
• The order also noted that the Department of Justice will challenge state AI laws that the US Attorney General finds inconsistent with US global AI dominance.
• It will NOT affect state AI laws concerning child safety protections, AI compute and data center infrastructure, or state government procurement and use of AI.

The order could affect pathologists and other physicians in states where AI laws may have benefits and/or limitations. 

Yes, but: This executive order does not take effect immediately and will likely face legal challenges. The CAP will monitor which state laws on AI in health care may be at risk of preemption and follow up with members as information becomes available.

Pathologists are invited to mark their calendars for the annual Pathologists Leadership Summit & House of Delegates Meeting, which will take place April 25–28, 2026. It will bring together professionals from across the field for collaboration, strategic discussion, and leadership development.

The summit is one of the CAP’s key forums for advocacy, professional growth, and advancing critical issues that help shape the future of pathology. Together, attendees will continue to advocate for the vital role of pathologists in patient care and the evolving health care landscape.

Participants can also expect valuable opportunities to connect with colleagues and further engagement in the work that pushes pathology forward.

Registration coming soon. Save the date!

📅 April 25–28, 2026
📍 Washington, DC

Stay tuned for additional information, including registration and program highlights.