A record-breaking number of CAP members advocated to protect the value of pathology services while meeting with their federal legislators on May 3 during the CAP’s Hill Day. Hundreds of CAP members discussed how Congress can mitigate Medicare cuts, prepare for medical workforce shortages, and ensure funding for future pandemic preparedness.

In 300 virtual meetings with congressional offices, pathologists urged lawmakers to mitigate the upcoming Medicare cuts that pathologists and other physicians face, increase funding to address medical workforce shortages, and prepare for future pandemics. Pathologists confidently made their cases while speaking with legislative staff and received positive responses.

Without congressional action, pathologists will face another 3% cut to all pathology services in 2023 to pay for increases in evaluation and management services. The CAP has worked with a coalition of other physician organizations to stop or mitigate cuts in recent years. CAP members asked their federal legislators that the relief from Medicare cuts that Congress provided to physicians in 2022 be extended through 2023.

Pathologists reviewed the looming medical workforce shortage and encouraged legislators to increase Graduate Medical Education (GME) funding to increase residency slots, which is key to addressing critical shortages of pathologists in the coming years. CAP members asked representatives and senators to support the Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2021. This bipartisan and bicameral legislation would provide 14,000 new Medicare-supported GME positions over seven years.

Pathologists also discussed the impact of COVID-19 on laboratories and pathologists and urged Congress to support the PREVENT Pandemics Act, which would strengthen the nation’s public health, medical preparedness, and response systems in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. For example, $175 million would be allocated to expand genomic sequencing and advanced molecular detection, and $750 million would fund efforts to modernize the medical supply chain.

The CAP’s Hill Day ended the four-day hybrid Pathologists Leadership Summit, where over 500 of pathologists attended the House of Delegates, educational courses, and advocacy session.

If you couldn’t attend the CAP’s Hill Day, please visit the CAP’s advocacy action center to support our advocacy. It’s easy and takes little time to advocate on the issues impacting how you practice and your ability to provide patients with quality care.

Join PathNET and visit the action center today.