ePolicy News — February 2025

ASCP Releases Action Alert to Fix Medicare Payment Flaws 

ASCP is advocating for bipartisan legislation introduced in Congress to reverse a 2.8 percent cut in the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) and provide a 2 percent update. The Society recently issued an Action Alert urging members to contact their representatives and support the Medicare Patient Access and Practice Stabilization Act. Additionally, ASCP is pushing for reforms to the Clinical Laboratory Fee Schedule (CLFS), which has faced years of cuts, as part of its broader effort to stabilize Medicare payments for pathology and laboratory medicine. Read more.  

CMS Grants MIPS Exemption for Providers Affected by California Wildfires 

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has granted an automatic Extreme and Uncontrollable Circumstances (EUC) exemption from MIPS reporting for clinicians affected by the California wildfires. ASCP continues to monitor this payment policy affecting our members, and you can read more about the EUC exemption and what it entails here.  

Ring Scholarship Expands Access to Laboratory Education 

Applications for the Dr. Alvin Ring Empowerment Scholarship, offering $1,000–$5,000 to support laboratory professionals pursuing education in histotechnology, medical laboratory technology, and medical laboratory science, will be open March 3-May31. This scholarship aims to expand access to laboratory science education, particularly for students in medically underserved and rural areas. Read more.  

Current Study on Laboratory Professionals’ Education, Exposures, and Motivations Identifies Timely Recommendations to Support the Workforce 

ASCP, in collaboration with the University of Washington Center for Health Workforce Studies, has released results from a new survey that looks at the pathways that lead people to careers in the laboratory. This first-of-a-kind survey provides insight that can help the profession better understand the paths leading to the laboratory, and how we can better recruit, retain, and advocate for the laboratory. Read more.  

ASCP Workforce Data Included in the AHA 2025 Environmental Scan Report 

For the first time, laboratory workforce data from ASCP has been included in the AHA’s 2025 Environmental Scan. The inclusion of ASCP workforce data highlights the critical role of the laboratory in shaping the healthcare landscape and the essential contributions of medical laboratory professionals in delivering patient care. Read more.