Advocacy - Lab Advocate
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) recently published the CY 2025 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) Proposed Rule, which includes a proposed reduction of nearly 3% in payment rates for physician services, including those related to pathology. Additionally, the proposed rule suggests cuts of up to 15% for hundreds of clinical laboratory services under the Clinical Laboratory Fee Schedule (CLFS). The association is reviewing the rule and will submit comments to the agency as warranted. The association believes that the proposed cuts to laboratory payments will reduce access to patient care by cutting into the already thin margins many laboratories operate under, particularly in rural areas.
Ensuring that all laboratories receive fair reimbursement for their services is a key pillar of ADLM's advocacy. The association is also actively engaging key Congressional offices to push for the passage of Saving Access to Laboratory Medicine Act (SALSA), legislation intended to address the flawed payment rate setting methodology implemented under the Protecting Access to Medicare Act (PAMA).