New Law Includes Funding for COVID-19 Testing, ASCP Recommendations for Testing Strategy

On April 30, President Trump signed into law legislation strengthening our nation’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The new law provides $25 billion for COVID-19 testing, including a number of recommendations from ASCP, and $484 billion to support the Paycheck Protection Program. The law also requires the Administration to report to Congress on its strategy to strengthen laboratory test capacity for COVID-19. Shortly thereafter, President Trump outlined his strategy for improving test capacity as part of his strategy to re-open the U.S. economy (See below), which incorporated a number of recommendations from the ASCP.

The legislation also provides support for the laboratory workforce and its development. "The details of such provisions will need to be reviewed, but we are hopeful this will help support and grow the laboratory workforce for our patients," said ASCP CEO E. Blair Holladay, PhD, MASCP, SCT(ASCP)^CM. ASCP will continue to work with policymakers at the federal and state level to ensure that elements of the ASCP National Diagnostic Testing and Support Strategy are adopted.

Other articles in the May 2020 ePolicy News:

• ASCP Urges Creation of National COVID-19 Testing Task Force
• AMA Endorses ASCP’s Call for a National Testing Strategy
• Governors, State Health Directors Hear from ASCP BOC about COVID-19 Response
• ASCP, FDA Share Similar Concerns on Antigen Testing
• Hazard Pay, Mental Health Benefits Sought for Pathologists, Laboratory Professionals
• ASCP Interviewed about Job Satisfaction, Well-Being of Pathologists
• CMS Urged to Consider Specialists When Implementing MIPS Value Pathways
• Updated Risk-Based Guidelines Now Published for Management of Abnormal Results in Cervical Cancer Screening and Colposcopy

 

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For more information regarding ASCP's advocacy initiatives and policy positions, please contact ASCP's Center for Public Policy at (202) 408-1110.

 

 

ASCP ePolicy News is supported by an unrestricted grant from Hologic.