To prepare for the CAP’s annual Hill Day, CAP members discussed strategies for how they will engage their members of Congress at the Pathologists Leadership Summit on April 17. CAP Advocacy leaders prepared pathologists to lobby Congress on three main policies affecting the specialty: stopping Medicare cuts to pathology services, including laboratory service reimbursements, and resolving workforce shortage issues.

In her opening remarks, CAP President Emily E. Volk, MD, FCAP, ardently described the significance of pathologists advocating for their profession and educating legislators on the impact of their payment policies.

“As the only 501c6 nonprofit organization representing board-certified pathologists, the CAP is unique in our ability to lobby to the fullest extent of the law. So only pathologists can honestly tell our stories and tie them to the health policies created by our lawmakers. Only pathologists can use our unique knowledge and perspective to educate lawmakers about our specific issues and how they impact our ability to practice medicine and serve patients,” Dr. Volk said.

Council of Government and Professional Affairs Chair Jonathan Myles, MD, FCAP, provided an overview of the current political landscape, the CAP’s advocacy agenda, private-sector advocacy, and the Hill Day asks for participants.

Joe Saad, MD, FCAP, Vice-Chair of CGPA moderated an interactive Q & A with Dr. Myles, Diana Cardona, MD, FCAP Chair of the Quality and Clinical Data Registry Affairs Committee; Ronald McLawhon, MD, FCAP, Chair of the Economic Affairs Committee and Matthew Foster, MD, FCAP Chair of Federal and State Affairs Committee. These issues include laboratory-developed tests, reimbursement issues and possible Medicare cuts.

A great number of CAP members signed up to lobby the Hill and ask lawmakers to:

• Pass legislation providing additional relief from Medicare cuts scheduled to take effect in 2024.
• Cosponsor the Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2023
• Support the passage of the Saving Access to Laboratory Services Act (SALSA)

Advocacy Update will provide more coverage of the Pathologists Leadership Summit in the next issue.