Advocacy News

• House reconciliation bill faces opposition
• CAP wants info-blocking rules to be scrapped
• Threat to medical examiner authority fails in Texas
• Cancer prevention programs face funding threat
• Pathologists fix genetic privacy law in MT
• FDA approves groundbreaking Alzheimer disease test

The House Budget Committee advanced reconciliation legislation late Sunday as Republicans push to pass the bill by Memorial Day.

Why it matters: Republicans continue to debate several provisions in the sweeping bill, which includes cuts to the Medicaid program and inflationary updates to Medicare payments for physician services.

• Medicaid: The CAP signed a letter outlining concerns about proposed cuts.
• Medicare: The bill offers a 1.73% physician pay increase in 2026—equal to 75% of the Medicare Economic Index (MEI). In 2027 and beyond, 10% of the MEI would be used to calculate future increases.

While introducing regular inflationary updates is a step forward, tying future increases to 10% of the MEI is lower than what many stakeholders recommend.

What's next: If House Republicans can reach a consensus, the bill will move to the Senate for further debate and amendments.

Go deeper: The CAP has also signed a letter about concerns over medical student loan debt provisions in the bill.

As the Trump administration seeks to cut regulations, the CAP suggests removing information-blocking rules that may inadvertently harm patients.

The CAP submitted comments to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) in response to ongoing deregulation efforts.

Why it matters: The initiative aims to identify and potentially rescind federal regulations that may be deemed unlawful or burdensome, significantly impacting health care policies and practices.

What they're saying: The CAP submitted the following regulations for consideration:

• The HHS Office for Civil Rights Nondiscrimination Rule and the ONC Cures Act Final Rule on Information Blocking
  • The CAP opposes the absence of a blanket exception to allow for the delay of the release of laboratory test results to patients.
• The ONC Cures Act Final Rule on Information Blocking
  • The CAP opposes the Information Blocking provision that requires the immediate release of lab test results, arguing it undermines effective care coordination.

What's next: The CAP will continue to monitor developments and provide updates as they unfold.

A Texas bill aimed at undermining the independent judgment of medical examiners failed to advance after opposition from the CAP, the National Association of Medical Examiners (NAME), and the Texas Society of Pathologists.

Why it matters: House Bill 2845 would have superseded medical examiner judgment in the classification of deaths related to substance overdoses.

• The CAP's advocacy ensured the preservation of medical discretion and integrity in forensic autopsies.

What they're saying: The CAP stated, "Death certification is the practice of medicine and should not be statutorily dictated."

• NAME emphasized the need for physicians to certify medical diagnoses.

The bottom line: The CAP continues to advocate against legislation that threatens the autonomy of forensic pathologists.

Recent federal budget decisions propose cutting cancer research funding, threatening to reverse decades of medical progress. The CAP joined the Cancer Leadership Council in signing a letter urging the Trump administration to preserve funding for the Division of Cancer Prevention and Control at the CDC.

Why it matters: These programs are vital for early detection, disease reporting, and comprehensive cancer control. Eliminating the CDC's cancer initiatives would undermine screening efforts, delay early detection, and slow progress in reducing cancer risk.

Programs at risk include: 

• National Program of Cancer Registries
• National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program

What's next: The CAP, along with physician and patient advocacy partners, continues to push for sustained funding and is monitoring the budget reconciliation process.

A new law in Montana adjusts its genetic privacy rules for CLIA-regulated laboratories.  

Why it matters: This change resolves a significant conflict in which labs were previously required to destroy genetic samples upon patient request, potentially violating federal specimen retention standards.

• What they're saying: The CAP, the Montana Medical Association, and the Montana Society of Pathologists advocated for this adjustment to ensure labs can comply with federal regulations while respecting patient rights.

What's next: Laboratories must update their compliance protocols by October 1, when the new standards take effect.

Read the bill: Passage of Senate Bill 163 represents the CAP's strong leadership at the state level.

A new test could be a game changer in diagnosing Alzheimer disease. The US FDA has approved the first in vitro diagnostic blood test to aid in identifying the condition.  

Why it matters: The test provides a more accessible method for detecting Alzheimer disease.

Who it's for: Adults aged 55 years and older who are showing signs or symptoms.

The Lumipulse G test detects amyloid plaques associated with Alzheimer disease using chemiluminescent enzyme immunoassay technology. This method offers high sensitivity and precision in biomarker quantification.

Go Deeper: Read the full FDA announcement.