Advocacy Update

• CAP, AMA and Medical Organizations Call on Congress to Pass Legislation to Reverse Physician Medicare Cuts
• Pathologists Quality Registry Earns 2024 Approval and 3 New Measures to Improve Practice Performance, Payment
• CAP Encourages Members to Apply for 2024 NAM Scholars in Diagnostic Excellence Program
• CAP Urges Members to Apply for GME Slots Open Until March 31
• Register for the Pathologists Leadership Summit in D.C. April 2024
• Take Our News Quiz for January

The CAP, American Medical Association (AMA), and hundreds of medical organization and societies are lobbying Congress to quickly pass legislation to reverse the 3.37% Medicare physician payment cuts that took effect on January 1. The groups sent a letter to both the House and Senate on January 16, calling on Congress to eliminate the cuts in full by increasing the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Conversion Factor retroactive to January 1, 2024, by the initial January 19 appropriations deadline.

On December 20, CAP President Donald S. Karcher, MD, FCAP issued a statement urging Congress to take up legislation to stop the cut as soon as lawmakers return to Washington in the New Year. “Pathologists and their laboratories have endured several challenges in recent years to meet the demands of the US health system while facing declining reimbursements. Our commitment to our patients is unwavering,” Dr. Karcher said. “At the same time, physicians cannot continue to do more with fewer resources. While coping with workforce shortages and inflationary pressures, we must still invest in new technology and advance laboratory infrastructure to maintain and enhance quality patient care. Congress must honor its commitment to seniors and the physicians who care for them by stabilizing Medicare pay in the short and long term.”

The CAP supports enactment of the Preserving Seniors’ Access to Physicians Act of 2023 (HR 6683), legislation that would counter the cut to Medicare physician payment by updating the conversion factor by 3.37%. Reversing the cuts to Medicare physician payment would preserve patients' access to care – especially those patients who are most vulnerable.

CAP members can continue to urge their representatives and senators to stop the Medicare physician payment cuts by using the CAP’s Action Center.

The CAP’s Pathologists Quality Registry once again received approval and its qualified clinical data registry status from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). This recognizes our registry’s ability to improve care for patients and collect quality data to submit for the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS). The Pathologists Quality Registry reduces pathologists’ burdens when participating in MIPS by providing practice-specific guidance, consolidating reporting for both the Quality and the Improvement Activities categories and providing pathology practices with real-time performance benchmark reports.

The is the CAP’s eighth consecutive year as a QCDR. The CAP has the oldest pathology QCDR and the only QCDR focused exclusively on supporting pathologists in MIPS. CAP’s registry is the highest-scoring option for pathologists, with more pathology QCDR measures than any other registry.

To support pathologists, the Pathologists Quality Registry offers pathology-specific quality measures and several data pathway options to report quality measures. The registry will offer 15 pathology quality reporting measures for MIPS, most of which are exclusively available in the Pathologists Quality Registry. This includes three new measures created by the CAP and approved by the CMS to ensure pathologists who participate in the CAP’s Registry can achieve higher scores.

Visit 2024 Pathology Quality Measures for measure specifications. The CAP’s expert staff can guide participants through the measure selection and reporting process.

The National Academy of Medicine (NAM) in partnership with the Council of Medical Specialty Societies (CMSS) just opened the application process for the 2024 NAM Scholars in Diagnostic Excellence Program - Advancing Equity and Implementing National Strategies to Improve Diagnosis.

Funded by the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, this collaborative program is designed to advance equity and develop leaders who can drive implementation of effective strategies to raise awareness of diagnosis in medicine, support diagnostic excellence, and reduce diagnostic errors at the national level. Up to 10* scholars participate in this one-year, part-time remote program to enhance their knowledge and skills in diagnostic quality and safety, and to accelerate their career development in becoming national leaders in the field. The program seeks exceptional individuals who are interested in focusing on diagnosis-related work from a broad range of disciplines and professions — including physicians, advanced practice clinicians, quality experts, informaticians, and researchers. The program specifically encourages applications from underrepresented groups in medicine.

The program includes a structured online curriculum; cohort learning activities; professional networking opportunities through the NAM and CMSS; mentorship; a $35,000 grant; and an additional $5,000 domestic travel funds.

There will be three applicant information sessions.

• Applicant Information Session #1: January 18 at 11am ET - Register
• Applicant Information Session #2: January 31 at 1pm ET - Register
• Applicant Information Session #3: February 13 at 3pm ET - Register

* With additional support from the John A. Hartford Foundation, an 11th scholar with a focus on advancing equity and diagnostic excellence for older adults may be selected.

To learn more, visit the program website at: dxexscholars.nam.edu.

The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has opened its application process for the next round of 200 Medicare-funded Graduate Medical Education (GME) residency slots provided in the Consolidated Appropriations Act (CAA), 2021. The application will be available until March 31. Awards from this application cycle will be effective July 1, 2025. Additional resources are available on the CMS DGME website (under the Section 126 resources tab) to assist with the application process.

Year after year, pathologists’ payments are being threatened to decline, workforce shortages are causing burnout, and cuts to clinical laboratory payments hang in the balance.

Advocate for pathology and plan to attend the Pathologists Leadership Summit in-person where you will gain unparalleled access to the education and training to make an impact on Capitol Hill and protect the future of our specialty.

The Pathologists Leadership Summit takes place, in-person only, April 13-16 in Washington, DC. Mark your calendars and register today!

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