ePolicy News—February 2026

Medicare Laboratory Payment Cuts Averted for 2026 

Legislation signed on February 3 to end the partial federal government shutdown also blocks planned Medicare Clinical Laboratory Fee Schedule cuts of up to 15 percent for roughly 800 lab services through the end of 2026. This delays—but does not eliminate—requirements for laboratories to report payment data to CMS between May 1 and July 31, unless Congress enacts the RESULTS Act beforehand. ASCP asks members and their colleagues to urge Congress to enact the RESULTS Act as soon as possible. Read more. 

California Laboratory Professionals Mobilizing to Fight Licensure Fee Increase  

California laboratory professionals, led by ASCP’s Northern California chapter and a coalition of laboratory organizations, are mobilizing to oppose steep state licensure fee increases set to take effect in 2026. The new law shortens licensure from two years to one year and raises annual initial and renewal fees to $300—representing increases of 260 percent and higher—prompting concerns that the costs are disproportionate compared to fees for other healthcare professions. ASCP and its partners plan to lobby the legislature to reduce the fees and restore biennial licensure. Read more. 

ASCP and Pfizer Launch Request for Proposals to Fund Quality Improvement Projects Advancing Biomarker Testing in mCRC  

ASCP, in collaboration with Pfizer and with participation from ASCO, announced a multi-year Request for Proposals opening January 26, 2026, to fund pathology-led Quality Improvement projects of up to $250,000 each focused on improving biomarker testing for frontline treatment selection in metastatic colorectal cancer. Through multidisciplinary collaboration and use of ASCP’s Performance and Diagnostic Insights platform, the program aims to enhance efficiency, timeliness, and dissemination of best practices to improve evidence-based mCRC care nationwide. Read more.