President’s Speech Reinvigorates Health Care Reform Debate
Advocates Score Victory on Lab Co-Pays, But Threat of Lab Tax Looms as Health Care Reform Efforts Continue
The American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP) along with others in the laboratory community succeeded in defeating a proposed 20 percent co-pay on Medicare laboratory services. ASCP members sent more than 2,500 letters to their Senators voicing opposition to co-pays on services reimbursed under the clinical laboratory fee schedule. ASCP members pointed out that the co-pay would have shifted an estimated $23 billion over 10 years to Medicare beneficiaries and clinical laboratories. This is good news for Medicare beneficiaries, clinical laboratories and laboratory staff.
President Barack Obama’s health care reform address to a joint session of Congress has reignited a sense of urgency to get legislation passed and to get it passed quickly. “Now is when we must bring the best ideas of both parties together, and show the American people that we can still do what we were sent here to do.” the President said. “Now is the time to deliver on health care.”
That said, Congress has heeded the call. Of the five Senate and House committees asked to develop proposals, all have put forth reform for consideration. Among these proposals are provisions affecting clinical laboratories; these provisions are being examined as a means to finance health care reform. As readers of ASCP’s Daily Diagnosis (see Thursday, September 10) may already know, Senate Finance Chairman Max Baucus (D-MT) has proposed an annual fee, or tax, on the labs as part of his proposed Framework for Comprehensive Health Reform. This tax would amount to $750 million annually beginning in 2010. Congressional officials have not provided details of the proposal. In fact, the proposed fee on clinical laboratories amounts to just two sentences: “Under this [framew.org/HomePageContent/ePolicyNews/ePolicy-News--December-1-2009.aspx">ePolicy News - December 1, 2009
Use this link to view the December 2009 ePolicy News from ASCP, covering updates from the ASCP, Congress and the Federal Government.
ePolicy News - October 1, 2009
Use this link to view the October 2009 ePolicy News from ASCP, covering updates from the ASCP, Congress and the Federal Government.
ePolicy News - September 1, 2009
Use this link to view the September 2009 ePolicy News, covering updates from the ASCP, Congress and the Federal Government.
ePolicy News - August 1, 2009
Use this link to view the August 2009 ePolicy News, covering updates from the ASCP, Congress and the Federal Government.
ePolicy News - July 1, 2009
Use this link to view the July 2009 ePolicy News, covering updates from the ASCP, Congress and the Federal Government.
ePolicy News - June 1, 2009
Use this link to view the June 2009 ePolicy News, covering updates from the ASCP, Congress and the Federal Government.
ePolicy News - May 1, 2009
Use this link to view the May 2009 ePolicy News, covering updates from the ASCP, Congress and the Federal Government.
ePolicy News - April 1, 2009
ePolicy Special Report:
ASCP Urges CMS to Adopt New Model for Cytology PT Requirement
Michael Crow Letter
Fred Boice Letter
ePolicy News - March 1, 2009
ePolicy News - February 1, 2009
ePolicy News - January 1, 2009
ePolicy News - December 1, 2008
ePolicy News - November 1, 2008
ePolicy News - October 1, 2008
September 1, 2008
July 30, 2008
ePolicy Special Report:
Senate Approves ASCP-Supported Medicare Bill; ASCP Members Urged to Contact White House
July 1, 2008
ePolicy Special Report:
House Approves ASCP-Supported Medicare Bill
June 1, 2008
May 1, 2008
ePolicy Special Report:
Judge Grants Temporary Injunction in Pathology Anti-Markup Lawsuit
March 4, 2008
August 30, 2007
September 12, 2007
September 30, 2007
November 2, 2007
December 2, 2007
January 1, 2008
January 21, 2008
February 4, 2008