Previous Advocacy Updates

On July 13, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ released the proposed 2018 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule which reflected the CAP’s recommendations from the CAP and AMA Specialty Society Relative Value Scale Update Committee for physician work relative values to certain pathology services. Some of these recommendations reflected increases from current values.

In the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) proposed 2018 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule released July 13, the agency proposed to accept all of the recommendations from the CAP and AMA Specialty Society’s Relative Value Update Society’s for physician work relative values to certain pathology services. Some of these recommendations reflected increases from current values.

On June 22, the Senate released its version of the American Health Care Act renamed the bill the Better Care Reconciliation Act of 2017 that would reform the nation's current Medicaid program, make significant changes to Affordable Care Act's (ACA) insurance regulations and coverage mandates, and eliminate the majority of the ACA taxes.

On June 22, the Senate released its version of the American Health Care Act renamed the bill the Better Care Reconciliation Act of 2017 that would reform the nation's current Medicaid program, make significant changes to Affordable Care Act's (ACA) insurance regulations and coverage mandates, and eliminate the majority of the ACA taxes.

The American Medical Association (AMA) is working with physician organizations like the CAP to tackle issues from health care reform to the network adequacy. A delegation of pathologists, led by the CAP, participated during the June 10 -14 AMA House of Delegates meeting, and advocated on behalf of laboratory medicine. During the meeting physicians voted Barbara L. Mc McAneny, MD, an oncologist from Albuquerque, N.M., as the new president-elect of the AMA. Following a year-long term as president-elect, Dr. McAneny will assume the office of AMA president in June 2018.

On June 20, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) published its proposed 2018 Quality Payment Program (QPP) established under the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA) that proposes reduced burdens and increased flexibility for physician quality reporting.

The Pennsylvania Association of Pathologists (PAP) and the CAP are strongly urging state lawmakers not to pass legislation to prohibit balance billing of patients by out-of-network (OON) providers, arguing that the measure is flawed in a number of ways.

On May 12 the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) approved the Pathologists Quality Registry as a Qualified Clinical Data Registry (QCDR), making it an invaluable reporting option for pathologists with fulfilling reporting requirements under Medicare's Quality Payment Program (QPP). The Pathologists Quality Registry is the first pathologist-specific clinical data registry designed by pathologists to earn QCDR status from the CMS.

On May 16, the CAP Advocacy team and members of the Council on Government and Professional Affairs (CGPA) met with Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price to discuss reducing regulatory burdens on Pathologists.

On May 9, the Senate—by a 57-42 vote, confirmed Scott Gottlieb, MD—as Commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). As FDA commissioner, Dr. Gottlieb will oversee an agency with regulatory influence over pharmaceuticals and medical devices, in addition to food safety and other areas of human health.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) approved the Pathologists Quality Registry as a Qualified Clinical Data Registry (QCDR), making it an invaluable reporting option for pathologists with fulfilling reporting requirements under Medicare’s Quality Payment Program (QPP). The Pathologists Quality Registry is the first pathologist-specific clinical data registry designed by pathologists to earn QCDR status from the CMS.

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%.