From the American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science:
We've all had enough politics right now, but we have a small opportunity to have a potentially large impact on the financial environment for clinical laboratories in the United States. It will take swift, strong, and forceful action on the part of the clinical laboratory community.
Congress has come back for its "lame duck" session, and key committees are actively considering the Saving Access to Laboratory Services Act (SALSA) (S.4449/H.R.8188). It would replace the draconian reimbursement cuts and reporting requirements of PAMA and has bipartisan support in both the House and Senate.
What if it doesn't pass? On January 1, 2023, 15 percent cuts to the reimbursement rates for most of the high-volume clinical laboratory tests will go into effect. Because of the interconnected nature of Medicare and Medicaid and private insurance, those cuts will ripple through all reimbursements. Almost overnight, clinical laboratories will lose as much as 15 percent of their revenue.
- Those retention bonuses you were promised to prevent staff leaving? They probably go away.
- The new analyzers or upgraded system you were hoping were going to make your job easier? Not in 2023, if ever.
- Investments to prepare for future pandemics? Nope.
For most of this year, ASCLS and other laboratory groups have been working with members of Congress to come up with and advocate for SALSA. Your colleagues successfully secured a number of co-sponsors during the 2022 Laboratory Legislative Symposium in September. Now it's your turn to take action and contribute to the effort.
- Visit StopLabcuts.org and contact your representative and two senators. If you aren't sure who they are, the system will automatically choose them for you under the "Take Action" tab. Follow that up with a phone call to both your representative and two senators and ask them to communicate with their caucus leadership that they are supporting passage of SALSA.
- Participate in the second social media Advocacy Day TODAY! Wednesday, November 16, to help us "turn up the volume" on SALSA's enactment. You can download message points and graphics.
- If you think someone should do something about this, YOU are that someone. There are tons of great resources available to use.
For a detailed summary on the background of The Protecting Access to Medicare Act (PAMA) and The Saving Access to Laboratory Services Act (SALSA), read Clinical Laboratory Reimbursement in the United States.
Share this with your colleagues.
We need all 350,000 laboratory professionals participating!!