Advocacy News

• Just announced: Amy Walter’s insights on 2026 politics
• Lawmakers pitch fee waiver for doctors applying for H-1B visas
• HHS urges health care sector to harden cyber defenses
• WV pathologists, CAP defeat genetic privacy bill
• Balanced genomics data policy is needed for NIH proposal
• House hearing spotlights rising health care costs

Amy Walter, publisher and editor-in-chief of the Cook Political Report with Amy Walter, will deliver the keynote address during Sunday’s House of Delegates Meeting at the House of Delegates & Pathologists Leadership Summit.

The impact: You’ll get an insider’s view of the 2026 political landscape and what it could mean for pathology and health policy.

Go deeper: 

• A total of 10.5 CME credits is available throughout the meeting.
• Review the full agenda.

The bottom line: Don’t miss Amy Walter’s keynote at HOD/PLS.

Join us at HOD/PLS

A bipartisan bill would waive a $100,000 visa fee for some medical professionals on H-1B visas. The CAP supports the goal and is reviewing the language to ensure pathologists are explicitly included.

The impact: Without explicit inclusion, laboratories could face the full fee, complicating the recruitment of international medical graduates.

What we’re saying: The CAP has asked the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to exempt pathologists from the fee and has joined a coalition of medical organizations urging broader relief for physicians and other health professionals.

• Read our DHS request: CAP letter on H-1B fee exemption for pathologists
• Coalition action: The CAP has joined a coalition of national medical groups urging federal officials to exempt physicians and other health professionals from H-1B restrictions and fees.

Go deeper: Read a statement from the bill’s sponsors.

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) wants the entire health sector to take immediate steps to harden systems against cyberattacks.

The impact: Pathology practices, laboratories, and hospitals remain prime targets for ransomware and other attacks that can disrupt care and compromise sensitive data.

• HHS has flagged an increase in sophisticated activity from nation-state and criminal actors targeting health care infrastructure.
• Cyber incidents at medical device companies can ripple across laboratory supply chains and clinical operations.

The bottom line: Stronger cybersecurity helps protect laboratory systems, test results, and patient data and supports continuity of care.

Next steps:

• Review the HHS bulletin to assess your current cyber readiness.
• Confirm incident response plans, backups, and access controls with your IT teams.

The West Virginia Association of Pathologists (WVAP) and the CAP stopped adverse genetic privacy legislation that threatened routine pathology and lab practice.

Background: We opposed House Bill 5034, the “West Virginia Genetic Information Privacy Act,” and pushed for a clear health care exemption to protect pathologists and clinical laboratories from new legal risk.

The impact: HB 5034 did not pass this legislative session.

• Pathologists and clinical laboratories in West Virginia avoided new consent and data-handling requirements that could have delayed patient care.
• Routine collection, use, and disclosure of genetic data for diagnosis and treatment remain protected under existing HIPAA rules.

We highlighted to lawmakers that the proposed exemption in the bill fails to fully cover entities and business associates under HIPAA. It also doesn’t adequately exempt related health information from the bill’s strict requirements.

• Pathologists who collect, use, and disclose genetic data may therefore face legal risk without obtaining additional informed consent from patients.

What’s next: The CAP and state pathology societies will continue advocating for stronger, HIPAA-based exemptions to protect patient access and timely care.

Go deeper: Read WVAP’s letter opposing the bill.

The CAP cautioned against overly strict policies that could hinder biomedical research in a recent letter regarding proposed National Institutes of Health (NIH) data policies affecting genomic and health data access.

The big picture: We support the NIH’s goal to share data and mitigate security risks, but the proposal goes too far. 

The impact: Our concerns include potential limits on research involving pathology biospecimens, including:

• It’s unclear whether the policies apply only to NIH-funded research.
• New definitions could confuse researchers and biobanks.
• Consent requirements might limit the use of archival specimens.
• Policies could exceed federal standards, adding a regulatory burden.

What we’re saying: We support data protections but urge the NIH to clarify policy scope and applicability, align consent requirements with federal rules, and avoid access limits that impede research.

Go deeper: Read our full comment letter.

The House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health used its March 18 hearing to examine rising health care costs, with a focus on market consolidation and mounting pressure on independent physicians.

Watch Hearing

The impact: Lawmakers are probing what’s driving higher costs so they can make care more affordable and preserve independent practices.

• Medicare physician reimbursements have fallen 33% since 2001, straining small and independent practices.
• Growing administrative burdens—including prior authorization—are pushing physicians toward employment by larger health systems.

What they’re saying: Republicans cited Affordable Care Act regulations and hospital consolidation as key cost drivers. Democrats warned that cuts to Medicaid and ACA subsidies could leave more patients uninsured and delay needed care.

What’s next: Policy options discussed included hospital price transparency, site neutral payment reforms, and potential changes to the 340B program.

What’s next for the CAP: On Hill Day in April, CAP members will meet with lawmakers to discuss ongoing Medicare physician reimbursement challenges.