SALSA legislation gives laboratorians an opportunity to make their voices heard to strengthen the laboratory infrastructure and protect testing access for seniors.
By Chris Wolski
With the ongoing and depressing dysfunction in our political institutions, it often seems that the public is sidelined in legislative discussions. But there is currently an opportunity for laboratorians and others to make their voice heard on the pending SALSA legislation.
The bipartisan Saving Access to Laboratory Services Act (HR 2377/S 1000) is designed to address the cuts to laboratory services reimbursed under Medicare. Since 2014, when the Protecting Access to Medicare Act (PAMA) was passed, laboratories have seen a collective $4 billion in cuts to reimbursement. While this has certainly had a significant, negative impact on the bottom line of labs across the country, the cuts have made it tougher for seniors to access lifesaving tests diabetes, heart disease, cancer, HIV, and a host of other diseases and conditions. Without the passage of SALSA legislation, it could get worse.
You can let your representatives know how you feel by going to Stoplabcuts.org and filling out an easy form. The grassroots organization has enlisted dozens of organization that support what will hopefully be a permanent fix to PAMA. Susan Van Meter, president of the American Clinical Laboratory Association—one of the supporters of SALSA legislation, recently wrote me about why it’s imperative to lend your support:
“It’s time for a permanent legislative solution that preserves and sustains critical clinical laboratory services for seniors. With strong bipartisan and bicameral support of the Saving Access to Laboratory Services Act(SALSA), Congress has the opportunity to fix the flawed Protecting Access to Medicare Act (PAMA) framework and prevent reduced access to essential testing, stifled innovation, and weakened laboratory infrastructure essential to public health preparedness. The time to act is now – tell Congress to stop lab cuts and enact SALSA.”
This is an opportunity to raise your voice and make a real difference for clinical labs and the patients you serve.
Welcome Back and a Farewell
After a brief hiatus, Andy Lundin has rejoined the staff of Clinical Lab Products. With this issue, Melanie Hamilton-Basich will be taking the reins of CLP’s sister publication The Hearing Review. Welcome back, Andy, and congratulations, Melanie. If you have news releases, please, send them to Andy at [email protected].
