Previous Advocacy Updates

On September 13, Sens. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Dean Heller (R-NV), and Ron Johnson (R-WI) released an updated legislative proposal to repeal and replace portions of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The new bill would roll federal funding for the ACA’s premium subsidies and Medicaid expansion into a single pool, and then convert it into block grants to the states. The legislation would also convert federal Medicaid funding to a per capita allotment and limit growth of federal Medicaid spending starting in 2020.

On September 30, the Senate failed to have enough votes to repeal portions of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), but the Senate fiscal year 2018 budget resolution suggests the chamber could still use it to repeal key parts of the current law in 2018. The budget resolution includes a reserve fund, just in case the committees decide they want to tackle some elements of repeal.

The CAP is pleased to announce it's offering a 2017 MIPS Reporting Solution as a free benefit for CAP members. The 2017 MIPS Reporting Solution was announced during CAP17, when the CAP launched its new Pathologists Quality Registry for pathologists. Learn more about the 2017 MIPS Reporting Solution and enroll today.

The CAP continues to engage and advocates with other leading laboratory stakeholders regarding new clinical laboratory payment rates. On October 6, the CAP along with the American Clinical Laboratory Association, the National Independent Laboratory Association, Point of Care Testing Association, and AvaMedDX, sent a joint letter to Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator Seema Verma to suspend implementation until the agency can address the significant deficiencies in its process to establish new clinical laboratory payment rates.

With serious concerns regarding the data collection and methodology used to calculate new rates for clinical laboratory tests, the CAP strongly urged the Medicare program to delay its implementation of the proposed 2018 Medicare clinical laboratory fee schedule (CLFS).

The CAP was one of the provider groups at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Patients Over Paperwork Initiative, a cross-cutting, collaborative process that evaluates and streamlines regulations with a goal to reduce unnecessary burden, increase efficiencies, and improve the beneficiary experience.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) published the final Medicare 2018 clinical laboratory fee schedule (CLFS) despite the CAP and other industry groups’ reservations about the laboratory data collection process and methodology to calculate the new rates. The CAP has called this collection process flawed and continues to urge the CMS to delay the implementation of the new fee schedule to allow for time to fix their flawed data collection process.

The American Medical Association (AMA) continues to work with physician organizations like the CAP to tackle issues from regulatory burden relief to payment for services provided to patients. At the recent AMA 2017 Interim Meeting, physicians outlined health reform issues and regulatory relief concerns. A delegation of pathologists, led by the CAP, advocated on behalf of laboratory medicine.

To increase transparency and accountability in Medicare’s local coverage process, Congress re-introduced the Local Coverage Determination Clarification Act of 2017 in the Senate and House. The LCD bill continues to gain momentum and make strides in both the House and Senate with the total of 24 members of the House and 14 senators to sponsor the bill.

Time is running out to report your 2017 data if you are included in the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services, (CMS) Quality Payment Program (QPP) Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS). As a reminder, your 2017 data will determine how your 2019 Medicare payments will be adjusted up, down, or not at all. The deadline to enroll in the CAP’s MIPS Reporting Solution is January 5, 2018.

Citing concerns of patient access to laboratory services, the American Clinical Laboratory Association (ACLA) filed a lawsuit on December 11 against the Medicare program for failing to follow congressional directive to implement a market-based laboratory payment system to replace the clinical laboratory fee schedule.

Time is running out to report your 2017 data if you are included in the CMS Quality Payment Program (QPP) Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS). As a reminder, your 2017 data will determine how your 2019 Medicare payments will be adjusted up, down, or not at all. The deadline to enroll in the CAP's MIPS Reporting Solution is January 5, 2018.

The Pathologists Quality Registry has been approved as a 2018 Qualified Clinical Data Registry (QCDR) by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) for the second consecutive year, solidifying the tool as an instrumental component for pathologists in fulfilling reporting requirements under Medicare’s Quality Payment Program (QPP) Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS).

The Pathologists Quality Registry has been approved as a 2018 Qualified Clinical Data Registry (QCDR) by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) for the second consecutive year, solidifying the tool as an instrumental component for pathologists in fulfilling reporting requirements under Medicare's Quality Payment Program (QPP) Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS).

STATLINE brought you many news stories in 2017 to help navigate payments and Medicare Reimbursements for 2018. The CAP's efforts to protect the value of pathology services were adopted by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) in two final Medicare regulations affecting reimbursements in 2018. Moreover, the CAP continues to advocate for a better laboratory data collection process and methodology to calculate the new rates for the clinical laboratory fee schedule.

Citing the potential severe negative consequences to Medicare patients, the CAP opposed a draft national coverage determination policy for next-generation sequencing and urged the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to make substantial changes.

The CAP seeks further clarification on HHS delay of Commin Rule and leading political commentator William Kristol to keynote at the 2018 Policy Meeting.

Top political analyst Charlie Cook to Keynote at 2018 Policy Meeting and latest CAP Practice Characteristics Survey reveals compensation data.

Congress eliminates IPAB, adopts Medicare payment changes in new budget deal and broadcast journalist Judy Woodruff joins national commentators at 2018 Policy Meeting.

The CAP files Amicus Brief in support of ACLA Motion for Summary Judgement in PAMA lawsuit.