ePolicy News August 2024

Urge Congress to Fix Medicare Fee Schedules
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services proposes to cut payment rates for physician services, including pathology services, by almost 3 percent, and additional cuts to hundreds of clinical laboratory services. Also, the Medicare Economic Index, which measures medical practice cost inflation, is expected to increase in 2025. ASCP urges our members to contact Congress and demand that they fix Medicare payment rates. Read more.

Resources for Imminent BD Blood Culture Media Bottle Shortage
BD Life Sciences, a leading manufacturer of blood culture media bottles (BD BACTECTM blood culture vials), has notified customers to expect an impending shortage in blood culture media bottles. BD has said the supply disruption associated with BD’s plastic bottle supplier, is more complex than initially predicted and will affect its ability to keep up with global demands. The impact of this shortage is expected to affect patient care and the ability to diagnose and treat bloodstream infections. Read more.

CMS Recognizes Specialist in Cytology Certification as CLIA Compliant
The ASCP and ASCP Board of Certification (BOC) are pleased to announce a significant milestone that underscores the value of ASCP BOC credentials in enhancing the professional landscape for laboratory professionals while elevating patient safety. The ASCP BOC developed an eligibility route for the SCT(ASCP) certification exam, specifically for graduates of master's level CAAHEP-accredited Cytology Programs within the past five years. The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention recognize the ASCP BOC Specialist in Cytology certification, SCT(ASCP), as CLIA compliant. Read more.

ASCP and Board of Certification Urge University of Maryland to Reconsider MLS Program Closure
The University of Maryland School of Medicine has announced it will not accept students into its medical laboratory scientist (MLS) training program this fall, and it will cease operations entirely in 2027. ASCP and the ASCP Board of Certification have written to the Dean of the Medical School highlighting the critical importance of the laboratory workforce and urged the school to reconsider its plans. Read more.

ASCP, BOC Support Veterans Affairs Proposal on MLS’s Scope of Practice
ASCP and the ASCP Board of Certification (BOC) urged the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to finalize a proposal to adopt the ASCP BOC’s scope of practice for medical laboratory scientists. The VA’s proposal would set a national standard of practice for medical laboratory scientists, which means medical laboratory scientists at VA locations could have the same scope of practice, regardless of state licensure laws. Read more.

Help ASCP Understand the Financial Realities of Laboratory Education. Your Insights Matter!
ASCP members are encouraged to participate in a new survey, set to launch on Sept. 9, to study the costs associated with laboratory education and training for professionals in medical and public health laboratories. The study is conducted by ASCP and the ASCP Board of Certification. Read more.

ASCP 2024: Discover How the LDT Ruling May Affect Your Practice
The Food and Drug Administration’s claim it has authority to regulate laboratory developed tests has been a hot topic for more than a year. ASCP will devote three hours of education to this topic, and how it may affect laboratory medicine and patient care, during a special three-part series on Sept. 5 and 6 at the ASCP 2024 Annual Meeting in Chicago. Read more.

CDC Virtual Reality Laboratory Expands Access to Training on Biosafety and Preparedness
A new Virtuality Reality Laboratory, from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s OneLab program, offers access to free training in biosafety, specimen handling, and preparedness. Read more.

ASCP 2024 Policy Session Puts Spotlight on ASCP’s Massive CLIA Win, the LDT Lawsuit, and More
Jonathan Genzen, MD, PhD, FASCP, clinical pathology professor at the University of Utah and chief medical officer and senior director of government affairs at ARUP Laboratories, and ASCP President-Elect Gregory N. Sossaman, MD, MASCP, clinical pathologist and service line lead for pathology and laboratory medicine at Ochsner Health, New Orleans, will lead a session, “Public Policies Impacting the Practice of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, on Friday, Sept. 6, at the ASCP 2024 Annual Meeting. The session will be moderated by Greg Davis, MD, FASCP, a member of the ASCP Board of Directors. Read more.

Medical Lab Directors, Residents, Fellows--This Test Utilization Course is Designed for You
ASCP’s long involvement and leadership in Effective Test Utilization (ETU) has led to the development of best practices to reduce unnecessary testing and waste, improve cost-effectiveness, and benefit patient outcomes using evidence-based testing. Now ASCP, through a cooperative agreement with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), has developed an eLearning course, “Case-Based Best Practices in Effective Test Utilization for Clinical Laboratories,” freely available through the ASCP Store. Read more.

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