ePolicy News December 2020

Find a list of the stories in the December 2020 edition of ePolicy News below.

ASCP Urges Renewed Focus on Testing Issues to Biden Transition Team; Recommends Procop to Advisory Role
ASCP has reached out to the COVID-19 Advisory Board of President- Elect Joe Biden’s Transition Team to encourage the creation of a national COVID-19 testing strategy and an independent advisory committee composed of laboratory and public health experts to improve federal response to laboratory supply and personnel shortages to better respond to the demand for COVID-19 testing services. The Society has recommended Gary Procop, MD, MS, MASCP, Chair of ASCP’s Commission on Science, Technology, and Public Policy and a nationally recognized expert on COVID-19 testing issues, to serve as a point of contact. Read more.

On Antigen Testing for COVID-19

The performance of antigen testing in microbiology is well understood as there is abundant literature and years of experience. The principles, advantages and limitations that have been described for Group A Streptococcus, respiratory viral antigen testing, and other antigen tests for infectious agents hold true for antigen tests for COVID-19. Critical to the performance and positive predictive value of these or any tests are the analytic test performance characteristics of the test and the population that is being tested, Gary W. Procop, MD, MS, MASCP, writes in his article, Antigen Testing for COVID-19. Read more.

ASCP Releases Results of 2019 Medical Laboratory Wage Survey
The results of the newly released ASCP 2019 Wage Survey show an overall increase in salaries for most laboratory occupations. Meanwhile, demand for more medical and clinical laboratory technologists and technicians is expected to grow seven percent between 2019 and 2029. Read more.

CMS Adopts New Price Transparency Rule for COVID-19 Test Providers and Insurers
COVID-19 test providers are the target of a new price transparency requirement, along with health insurers. In early November, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services finalized a new price transparency requirement that these entities provide detailed pricing information on key services. Read more.

ASCP and CAP Announce Laboratory Workup of Lymphoma in Adults Guideline
A new evidence-based clinical practice guideline, “Laboratory Workup of Lymphoma in Adults,” recently released by ASCP and the College of American Pathologists, focuses on the pre-analytic phase of tissue handling and lymphoma diagnosis to help clinical teams improve patient care. Readmore.

United Healthcare to Delay Coding Proposal 
United Healthcare is delaying implementation of a coding proposal that would require clinical laboratories to use a unique, laboratory-specific code when submitting reimbursement request. Read more.

ASCP Praises CDC Recommendation to Prioritize Vaccination for Healthcare Workers
ASCP applauds a recommendation by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to ensure healthcare workers are among the first individuals to receive the COVID-19 vaccine after it is approved. Read more.

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.