IDSA Survey: Impacts of Diagnostics Payment Cuts on Near Patient Testing

Outpatient clinical laboratory tests will receive the second of three expected 10 percent reimbursement cuts on Jan. 1, 2019. These rates do not reflect market-based payments as intended by Congress under the Protecting Access to Medicare Act (PAMA).

IDSA, COLA (the leading laboratory accreditation program for CLIA certified clinical laboratories), and other organizations remain concerned that the myriad issues with PAMA implementation have led to inappropriate new reimbursement rates for many tests. The group is working to advocate for a reimbursement system that promotes innovative diagnostics and improves patient access to care, and we need your help to provide on-the-ground perspectives about the importance of near patient testing in the diagnosis and treatment of infectious diseases.

Please complete and share the brief survey here on the impacts of declining reimbursement on laboratory operations and patient care. Email questions or additional comments to jlevy@idsociety.org. Thank you helping to protecting patient access to diagnostic testing.