Engage and Advocate: October Recess Rally Preview!

Lawmakers return to their states for the remaining weeks before Election Day. This recess from congressional duties in Washington, DC, is a crucial time to protect your laboratory from federal regulatory overreach and to advocate against payment cuts to pathology services. Your representatives and senators in Congress will only act on these issues if they hear from you and they are listening as they campaign for your vote!

When Congress returns to Washington in November, they will have a packed agenda with competing priorities. They need to hear from you, so pathology issues are top of mind when they get back to Capitol Hill. Here is how you make your voice heard next month.

• Action Alerts: Sign up for the CAP’s Action Alerts to send pre-written or personalized messages directly to your legislators. This is a fast and easy way to raise your concerns about the FDA’s final rule on LDTs, advocate for a fix to clinical laboratory fee cuts, and Medicare payment reform. These alerts are crucial as Congress prepares for the lame-duck session.
• Virtual and In-District Meetings: During the October recess, schedule meetings with your lawmakers to directly discuss the impact of LDT regulation and Medicare reimbursement cuts on your practice and patient care. CAP’s toolkit offers templates and talking points to help you organize effective meetings. Use these discussions to make sure legislators are ready to act when they return to DC.
• Hosting Laboratory Tours: Inviting lawmakers to tour your laboratory during the recess provides a powerful, hands-on opportunity to show them how regulatory and financial challenges affect diagnostic care in real time. This is especially impactful before the lame-duck session when lawmakers will be making important decisions on LDTs and Medicare cuts. CAP’s laboratory tour toolkit provides all the resources you need to plan and execute a successful tour.
• Op-eds and Social Media Campaigns: Writing op-eds or sharing your concerns on social media allows you to raise public awareness and put additional pressure on lawmakers. CAP provides guidance for drafting op-eds and social media messages that effectively convey the importance of LDTs and Medicare funding to patient care. Tag your representatives and use these platforms to amplify your voice.
• Joining PathNET: For CAP members looking to deepen their involvement, PathNET is a valuable grassroots advocacy network. PathNET keeps you informed on legislative developments and provides opportunities to engage directly with lawmakers. As a member of PathNET, you will also have the option to sign up for grassroots text alerts so you can be sure you don’t miss a single action alert.
• Advocate from the comfort of home (or anywhere!) Ensure you never miss an advocacy action alert by signing up for the CAP’s grassroots text alerts.
• Attend town halls or community events where legislators are listening to voters' concerns.
• CAP24. Attend CAP24. There are a variety of opportunities at CAP24 to learn more about CAP Advocacy and the legislative landscape. Swing by the CAP Advocacy booth to share your LDT story and attend the Advocacy Town Hall.

Remember that your member of Congress wants to hear from you, as a constituent and a physician, especially on health care policy. Be on the lookout during October for different ways to engage and advocate! Questions? Email pathnet@cap.org.