ACLA Blog
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New analysis challenges GAO Report’s assumptions on lab billing
A new analysis from Braid-Forbes Health Research exposes the Government Accountability Office’s (GAO) flawed assumptions about lab billing practices by presenting survey data on more than 20 million actual clinical laboratory claims. Braid-Forbes’ analysis of publicly available data demonstrates that the GAO’s claim – that labs are receiving “excess payments” by charging Medicare for individual component tests in greater numbers rather than charging reducedContinue Reading »... -
With all eyes on cancer moonshot, labs continue to prove value
In 2019, an estimated 1.7 million new cancer cases will be diagnosed in the U.S., according to the American Cancer Society. As patients and their families across the country grapple with how to manage and overcome this painful disease, clinical labs are busy developing and providing innovative methods to identify, diagnose and monitor cancer. From early detection and evaluating the best course of treatment,Continue Reading »... -
GAO acknowledges recent report projected lab spending based on hypothetical framework
The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO), often referred to as the “congressional watchdog,” is supposed to examine how taxpayer dollars are spent, and then provide Congress and federal agencies with objective, reliable information to help save money and work efficiently. And yet, following growing pushback to a recent report on laboratory billing practices in the Medicare program, James Cosgrove, GAO health care director andContinue Reading »... -
Clinical laboratory diagnostics play key role in understanding heart health
Through innovation and advances in science, the health system has made significant progress in identifying and treating cardiovascular disease – the most significant development being the reduction in heart attacks and strokes. In fact, from 1980 to 2014, the number of Americans dying from cardiovascular disease dropped in half. While we now know more than ever before about the risk factors associated with heartContinue Reading »... -
Leading a new generation of personalized medicine, LDTs must be key consideration in diagnostic reform
Lab developed tests (LDTs) are essential to health care delivery and the broader health system, helping pave the way for a new era of personalized medicine and making it possible to achieve national health goals like the Cancer Moonshot. These vital tests are developed and performed by individual laboratories, providing reliable, early diagnosis for many rare and increasingly complex conditions. In many cases, LDTsContinue Reading »... -
Seniors managing diabetes are counting on Congress to protect their essential lab services
For America’s seniors, diabetes is now the number one health condition leading to frequent emergency room visits, according to a recent study in the Annals of Internal Medicine. On top of that staggering statistic, the CDC reports that one in four seniors has diabetes—the highest prevalence among any age group. Most patients know that disease monitoring and management requires reliable access to routine testing.Continue Reading »... -
For patients, PAMA reforms can’t wait
As we gaveled in a new Congress this month, protecting lab services for America’s seniors has never been more important. A recent piece in the Washington Post is the latest example of the value of essential lab services in early diagnosis and treatment of some of the most complex, serious health conditions facing patients – a critical element in our broader efforts to addressContinue Reading »... -
In a divided Washington, protecting seniors’ health care is an issue where everyone agrees
As lawmakers work to advance final legislative proposals, Congress has the chance to take decisive action on one issue that has bipartisan support: protecting seniors’ access to essential, life-saving lab services. Recognizing the critical role of routine testing for patient health and overall cost savings, more than 30 organizations representing patients, health care professionals, laboratories and diagnostic manufacturers are calling on Congress to takeContinue Reading »... -
When Rhetoric Doesn’t Match Reality – Why Claims of Overutilization Ignore the Real Dollar Signs
Today, decades of medical progress have contributed to a sea change in how we treat the most serious and complex health issues. We’ve seen ground-breaking innovations that allow us to identify diseases like cancer and HIV-AIDS and intervene with targeted, comprehensive care plans. Laboratory tests are the starting point for this next generation of care delivery. While much attention has been paid to theContinue Reading »... -
Market-Based in Practice, Not Just Theory
One of the driving forces in today’s health system is the goal of promoting and maintaining a competitive market for patients. In a “market-based” health system, consumers see the direct benefit of labs competing on quality, cost and services available – rather than an arbitrary, one-size-fits-all approach that fails to achieve any of these goals. In fact, that was one of the prevailing incentivesContinue Reading »...
