Advocacy News

• Lawmakers discuss fix to lab cuts at House hearing
• New federal guidance expands at-home cervical cancer screening
• FDA publishes guidance on AI and clinical support software
• HHS seeks input on AI in clinical care
• Pathologists invited to apply for diagnostics program
• Elevate your voice in Washington this spring

In last week’s congressional hearing, members of the Energy & Commerce Subcommittee on Health discussed several pieces of legislation that could be part of a broader health care reform package in the future.

The impact: Lawmakers wanted to discuss a bill supported by the CAP—the Reforming and Enhancing Sustainable Updates to Laboratory Testing Services (RESULTS) Act of 2025. 

• Medicare will cut payment for more than 800 clinical lab tests by up to 15% unless Congress acts before February.
• Before the hearing, the CAP recirculated its letter of support for the RESULTS Act—which would stop the cuts and make other reforms to Medicare clinical lab fees—among committee members.

Snapshot: Rep. John Joyce, MD (R-PA), expressed support for the RESULTS Act and asked Susan Van Meter, president of the American Clinical Laboratory Association, who testified at the hearing, how the cuts will affect Medicare patients. Van Meter also emphasized the importance of avoiding cuts that would affect rural laboratories' ability to provide these services and protect their patients’ access to care.

"We're tremendously concerned that these sustained cuts can lead to longer turnaround time for patients to get the results they deserve, to have test menus curtailed for those laboratories that [focus] on the most common routine tests that are essential to everyday care," said Van Meter.

What's next: CAP members can use the Action Alert Center to continue urging Congress to pass the RESULTS Act and stop additional payment cuts. 

Go deeper: Watch the hearing and read the summary.

The Health Resources and Services Administration released new guidelines for cervical cancer screenings, including an optional self-collection of samples at home.

The guidelines say: Women between the ages of 30 and 65 who are at average risk for cervical cancer are eligible for the self-collection screening option. 

• The guidelines also recommend high-risk human papillomavirus testing for women of average risk ages 30–65, and Pap smears for women of average risk ages 21–29.

Effective date: This new screening method is expected to be covered by private insurance beginning in January 2027.

Go deeper: Read the updated guidelines. 

The FDA has released updated guidance on Clinical Decision Support Software to outline its oversight of software intended for health care professionals. It affects how physicians can integrate AI into their practices. 

Clinical decision support tools are software systems intended to support the diagnosis, treatment, prevention, cure, or mitigation of diseases.

Zoom in: With this new guidance, the FDA aims to reduce regulatory burdens and foster innovation in digital health care. The updates also clarify which clinical decision support tools are regulated as devices. 

Yes, but: Certain clinical decision support tools are not regulated as devices if they meet specific criteria, including:

• They should not process or analyze medical images or signals.
• They must provide recommendations that a health care professional can independently review.

Relevance for pathology: Most predictive AI applications in pathology will remain under FDA oversight due to the ways in which medical images are classified.

• However, generative AI applications that don’t analyze images but provide single recommendations might see reduced enforcement.

Go deeper: View the FDA's full guidance update.

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is seeking feedback on accelerating the adoption of AI in clinical care.

What they're saying: This move is crucial for fostering public trust and aligning federal incentives to enhance productivity, cut health care costs, and improve patient outcomes.

• Regulation and reimbursement are pivotal areas for the CAP’s AI priorities.

What's next: Responses to the request for information will shape HHS strategies in regulation, reimbursement, and research and development to support AI deployment.

• The CAP will submit a response with recommendations by the February 23 deadline. 

The CAP encourages pathologists to take the next step in shaping the future of diagnostic excellence by applying to the National Academy of Medicine (NAM) Scholars in Diagnostic Excellence Program. 

• The NAM administers this collaborative grant program in partnership with the Council of Medical Specialty Societies, bringing together emerging leaders committed to improving diagnostic quality and patient care.

Prospective applicants can register for the next information session happening on January 21.

Registration is now open for the 2026 House of Delegates & Pathologists Leadership Summit, our specialty’s premier networking and advocacy event, which brings pathologists together to strengthen their leadership skills and engage with policymakers on key issues. 

Happening April 25–28, this summit is a key opportunity for you to help advocate for fair policies, influence change on Capitol Hill, and advance priorities critical to pathology and patient care.

Secure your spot today!