Public Policy Issues to Watch in 2025

• Congress has returned to Washington, DC, with the key task of extending federal spending authority past its current January 30 end date 

• Important policy goals for pathology and laboratory medicine include reforming Medicare payment, blocking efforts to undermine patent laws,  

Now back from the holidays, members of Congress have returned to Washington, DC, with a host of issues to contend with. One of the most pressing issues right now is extending federal spending authority. Last November’s budget deal funded the government through January 30, 2026. So far, legislators have been signaling their desire to avoid another government shutdown. In addition, Congress is expected to deal with several key Medicare proposals and legislation intended to address increasing healthcare costs. 

As Congress renews its attention on legislative business, there are several issues of critical importance to pathology and laboratory medicine. First, the Reforming and Enhancing Sustainable Updates to Laboratory Testing Services (RESULTS) Act. This ASCP-endorsed legislation would reform the Medicare Clinical Laboratory Fee Schedule and was the subject of a recent congressional hearing. Another concern is the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (PFS), which did not receive a full annual update from Congress last year and has lost significant ground to inflation. ASCP strongly supports providing an annual update for the PFS equal to the full Medical Economic Index (see here), a measure of healthcare inflation. ASCP sees both of these issues as critical to the long-term stability of pathology practices and clinical laboratories as well as their highly skilled workforces. Another issue before Congress is the Patent Eligibility Restoration Act (see here), to which ASCP is strongly opposed. The measure would undermine current patent laws prohibiting the patenting of genes and could effectively create monopolies on certain genetic tests—to the detriment of patient care. 

One CLIA-related issue of concern for pathologists and laboratory professionals is the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services recently updated memorandum of the remote review of digital cytology images. ASCP is concerned that the agency’s new policy (see here) will interfere with quality patient care and could impact the adoption of digital pathology. ASCP will be urging the agency to reverse its position.  

Another priority issue for ASCP is workforce development. Several congressional initiatives last year sought to roll back the federal government’s role in developing the healthcare workforce, by cutting funding for the Health Resources and Services Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which together manage most federal healthcare workforce development programs. The initiative most likely to garner congressional support is the ASCP-supported Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act (see here), which would add 14,000 Medicare GME positions over seven years. In addition, the Medical Laboratory Personnel Shortage Relief Act (see here) aims to address the supply of qualified medical laboratory scientists and medical laboratory technicians through loan repayment and grants to assist allied health school grants. A strong supporter of workforce legislation, ASCP will be working with other like-minded medical societies to seek Congress’s support of these initiatives this year. 

ASCP will be working throughout the year to advocate for policies supporting quality patient care and our members.