Market Areas > Laboratory Management > Lab Legislation

Lab Legislation Now: Competitive Bidding Project Repealed — What Does this Mean for Your Lab?

Course Description:

On July 15, 2008 the House and Senate voted overwhelmingly to override the President’s veto of “The Medicare Improvement for Patients and Providers Act of 2008” (HR 6331), enacting the measure into law.  The law includes three key provisions sought by the laboratory community:

1. total repeal of the laboratory competitive bidding demonstration project,
2. extension of the so-called “TC grandfather clause” for 18 months, and, of course,
3. reversal of a 10.6% reduction in the physician fee schedule.

The competitive bidding demonstration project was mandated by a 2003 law, and CMS was planning to implement the project in San Diego in July 2008. A preliminary injunction in April 2008 in Federal District Court in San Diego stopped the project from moving forward.

Bipartisan support in Congress for legislation repealing the project has grown steadily over the past year, culminating with the repeal provision being included in HR 6331.  With enactment of this legislation, the project is repealed, effective immediately.

What do these legislative changes mean to your lab?  Find out in this information-packed audio conference led by Alan Mertz, President of the American Clinical Laboratory Association as he discusses the landmark legislation / rulings and repeal and how they could impact the future of your lab.

During this need-to-know event, you’ll get key information on updates to the Clinical lab C-schedule and you’ll gain insights into:

• The impact of the repeal of competitive bidding
• The extension of the TC Grandfather clause
• Modifications to the Physician fee schedule
• Changes to the clinical laboratory fee schedule updates for the next five years

You’ll also get the answers to your specific questions in our interactive Q&A session.

Featured Faculty:

Alan Mertz, President, American Clinical Laboratory Association

Alan Mertz became President of the American Clinical Laboratory Association in 2003.  During his tenure as President, he has more than doubled ACLA’s membership, broadened its staff and advocacy agenda, increased the visibility and influence of the laboratory industry, and has led two major advocacy battles  with the defeat of the Medicare copay legislation in 2003, and the preliminary injunction and key legislation introduced to stop the Medicare competitive bidding demonstration project.

Other advocacy successes for ACLA include stopping Senate legislation on FDA regulation of Laboratory Developed Tests in 2007, the withdrawal of the OIG “excessive charges” rule, the promulgation of regulatory language curbing “POD” laboratories, stopping  a single-winner competitive bidding proposal in Florida Medicaid; slowing and modifying the CMS “Medically Unbelievable Edits” project; and successfully seeking the inclusion of laboratories in CMS/OIG regulations on electronic health records.

MONEY-BACK GUARANTEE:

We're so confident you'll get what you want out of this conference that we'll refund every penny if you're not completely satisfied. No questions asked! It's 100% risk-free!

Pricing:

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Your CD recording includes the complete audio conference presentation, audience Q&A and presentation materials.

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