Prepared by NILA's Washington Representatives Becca Branum, Erin Morton and Meg Riley

Congress Reaches Deal to Delay PAMA Cuts, Data Reporting

Congressional leadership forged a bipartisan agreement today to delay for one year pending PAMA cuts to the Medicare Clinical Laboratory Fee Schedule and the next private-payer data reporting period, both scheduled to go into effect on January 1, 2022. The delay is included in legislation that could be considered by the House of Representatives and Senate as soon as this week.

NILA’s work and grassroots advocacy helped lead to this important agreement, but we are not over the finish line. To help ensure relief for laboratories through swift passage of this legislation, please call your federal legislators today and ask them to vote in favor of S. 610, the end-of-year “Medicare fix” legislation. You can reach the Capitol Switchboard at (202) 224-3121 and ask to be connected to your two Senators and House Representative. Use the talking points below to relay your message to your legislators:

• I work in [name of your laboratory] in [your state]. Medicare cuts to laboratory reimbursement scheduled to go into effect on January 1, 2022, will be damaging to my laboratory’s ability to provide essential services to patients in [your state].

• Congress will soon consider legislation that will delay these cuts by one year. The delay is an essential step in protecting our nation’s laboratory infrastructure as we continue to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic.

• I am calling on [your Representative/Senator Name] to vote in favor of S. 610, the Protecting Medicare and American Farmers from Sequester Cuts Act.