Previous Advocacy Updates

On May 4 the Senate voted to approve a $1.1 trillion spending bill to fund the government through September, preventing a government shutdown.

The House voted 217-213 on May 4 to pass the American Health Care Act, which would repeal and replace portions of the Affordable Care Act. The bill will now move to the Senate for consideration.

During the final day of the 2017 CAP Policy Meeting, pathologists met with the offices of their elected officials and urged members of Congress to support legislation to increase transparency and accountability in the Medicare local coverage determination (LCD) process.

More than 100 CAP members traveled to Washington, DC, to advocate for the pathology specialty and their patients during the 2017 CAP Policy Meeting April 24–26. Throughout the first day, pathologists discussed the present state of reimbursement programs including opportunities for reduced regulations in the current political climate, as well as perspectives from the American Medical Association, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid, in addition to other issues facing pathologists.

With health care reform still unsure and the pending release of potential legislation impacting the practice of pathology and laboratory medicine, the 2017 CAP Policy Meeting on April 24-26 will be an essential event for pathologists to advocate on behalf of their specialty and patients.

The CAP is excited to announce that former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle will be the lunch Keynote Speaker on Monday, April 23 during the CAP Policy Meeting, which will be held April 23-26, 2017 in Washington, DC.

The CAP commended the reintroduction of the Local Coverage Determination Clarification Act of 2017. The bill would improve transparency and accountability when Medicare contractors set local coverage determination (LCD) policies for physician services provided to Medicare beneficiaries.

On March 24, House leaders, with encouragement from President Trump, pulled the American Health Care Act from the floor before a vote could occur.

President Donald Trump's 2018 budget recommendation to Congress called for increasing some funding for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, raising Food and Drug Administration medical product user fees to over $2 billion in 2018, from $1 billion in 2017, and cut funding to the National Institutes of Health by $5.8 billion, or nearly 20%.

The House Energy and Commerce and Ways and Means committees approved legislation to repeal and replace portions of the Affordable Care Act (ACA).

The House Energy and Commerce and the Ways and Means committees have scheduled to markup and approve new legislation that would repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act.

Minnesota has joined a list of states that are taking action to address out-of-network billing by insurers, an issue on which the CAP has worked tirelessly.

Congressman Tom Price, MD (R-GA) was confirmed as the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) by the Senate on February 10, 2017.

Pathologists must take action in 2017 in order to stop their Medicare payments from being cut in 2019 under the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) program.

The Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions and the Senate Finance Committee heard testimony from Rep. Tom Price, MD (R-GA) on January 18 and 25 respectfully on his nomination to become the secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS).

The newly inaugurated President Donald Trump issued an executive order on his first day in office directing members of his administration to take steps that will facilitate the repeal and replacement of the Affordable Care Act (ACA).

The House took a key step toward repealing the Affordable Care Act (ACA), passing a fiscal 2017 budget resolution on Friday, January 13. The House vote of 227–198 followed Senate passage on Thursday, January 12, by a 51–48 vote.

Republicans have initiated efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act.

Coalition Opposes Balance Billing Proposal in Idaho, DEA Reverses Registration Renewal Process, Applicable Laboratories Must Report PAMA Data

Victory in VA provision to expand Scope of Practice despite concerns with final regulation; CAP advocates for changes to 2017 MACRA Requirements.