ePolicy News — January 2025

ASCP Comments on USPSTF Draft Recommendations on Cervical Cancer Screening 

The USPSTF’s draft recommendations for cervical cancer screening mark a significant milestone for women’s health by ensuring access to preventive care. While ASCP and its members actively supported the draft language, submitting hundreds of comments, ASCP raised concerns about language around self-collected specimens in our organizational comment letter. Read more. 

Fixing Medicare Payment: Make it a Priority for Congress 

Pathology and clinical laboratory are once again facing destabilizing payment rates and reimbursement, which impacts every aspect of pathology and clinical laboratory operations, and threatens staffing, training, and patient access to vital services. ASCP urges all members and credential holders to advocate for Medicare payment reform by using the ASCP eAdvocacy Center to send Congress a clear message to fix payment rates now. Read more.  

CMS’s CLIA Rule Now Fully in Effect 

The updated CLIA regulations took full effect in late 2024, introducing increased fees,  updated histocompatibility requirements, and more. ASCP and the ASCP Board of Certification played a pivotal role in shaping the rule, influencing CMS to adopt critical changes, such as ensuring high complexity testing requires degrees with a strong academic science foundation and excluding nursing degrees from eligibility. Read more.  

New Healthcare Policymakers for 2025: President-elect Trump’s Nominees and Congressional Leadership 

As the Trump administration prepares to take office, President-elect Trump has nominated individuals and congressional leaders to help enact his policy priorities. Read more.