ACLA: American Clinical Laboratory Association

Press Release: Senate Puts off Vote on Medicare Package -- Vows to Address Issue in July (June 27, 2008)

Press Release: ACLA Lauds House Passage of 'Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act' (June 24, 2008)

ACLA Letters of Support for House Medicare Package HR 6331 (June 23, 2008): Dingell Letter; Rangel Letter

Dr. Elaine Lyon Testifies on Behalf of ACLA at Genetic Testing Roundtable Before Senate Special Committee on Aging (June 12, 2008)

CLC Letter Supporting Senator Grassley's 'Preserving Access to Medicare Act' (June 12, 2008)

ACLA Letter to Senator Grassley in Support of 'Preserving Access to Medicare Act' (June 12, 2008)

CLC Letter Supporting Chairman Baucus' Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act of 2008 (June 9, 2008)

ACLA Letter to Senator Baucus in Support of 'Medicare Improvement Act' (June 9, 2008)

Press Release: ACLA Calls Baucus 'Medicare Improvement Act' A Triple Play for Lab Services, Grand Slam for Beneficiaries (June 9, 2008)

CMS Responds to ACLA Letters on Physician Signature Issue (May 1, 2008)

Press Release: ACLA Responds to SACGHS Report Release (May 1, 2008)

Press Release: ACLA Applauds Senate Passage of "Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act" (April 25, 2008)

Press Release: ACLA Applauds Court for Preliminary Injunction on Lab Competitive Bidding Demo (April 9, 2008)

Court Orders Preliminary Injunction Stopping Lab Competitive Bidding Demo (April 8, 2008)

ACLA Letter to CMS Requesting Another Meeting to Discuss Concerns with Revised ABN Form (April 8, 2008)

ICD-10 Coalition Letter to Secretary Leavitt Recommends Implementation Process & Timeline (April 1, 2008)

The Clinical Laboratory Industry's Advocate

The American Clinical Laboratory Association (ACLA) is the clinical laboratory industry's leading advocate providing effective communication with Congress, regulatory bodies, other health care organizations and the public.

A not-for-profit association, ACLA represents the nation's leading national and regional clinical laboratories on key issues of common concern, including federal and state government reimbursement and regulatory policies. We have established relationships with key entities and individuals throughout government with responsibility for regulation of the clinical laboratory industry and payment for laboratory services. Find out more...

New Member Spotlight

ACLA welcomed Peter Gudaitis, President, AcuLabs Inc., in February, 2008.

AcuLabs a full service laboratory that has provided superior quality laboratory testing for over 35 years and is fully accredited, is based in East Brunwick, New Jersey.

Results for Life

Results for Life is a Nationwide Educational Campaign emphasizing the importance of clinical lab testing and calling attention to the laboratory community. For more information please visit our website:

www.labresultsforlife.org

ACLA is the voice for clinical laboratories, and an effective advocate before federal and state goverment. Click here to read about ACLA's remarkable record of achievement on behalf of the laboratory industry.

President's Message: June

June is turning out to be a good month for ACLA with encouraging developments in Congress, progress in educating policy makers about the value of genetic testing, and even welcoming an old friend back to ACLA’smembership.

The inclusion of the repeal of the laboratory competitive bidding demonstration project in both Democrat and Republican Senate Medicare legislative packages this month and passage of the bill in the House were a major milestones. This is the first time such legislation has passed the House, and Senate action is likely in July.

The repeal provision was included in House and Senate bills that would stop the 10.1% reduction in the physician fee schedule otherwise scheduled to occur on July 1st. The bills also include an important 18 month extension of the technical component (TC) grandfather clause

Also, the bills include an 18 month extension of the so-called technical component grandfather clause.

Democrats and Republicans in the Senate will have to work out other differences in the two versions, but prospects for passage of legislation are strong.

Genetic testing -- and the public policy issues surrounding genetic testing – continues to grow in importance as an ACLA priority. I am becoming increasingly concerned about misleading information spread by some groups and picked up by the media about both the value and oversight of genetic testing. It is imperative that ACLA and the Results for Life Campaign educate policy makers and the media about the value of genetic testing, its growing importance in medicine, and that it is regulated.I was reminded of this again in June when ACLA participated in a Roundtable on direct-to-consumer genetic testing held by the Senate Aging Committee Dr. Elaine Lyon from ARUP Laboratories did a terrific job representing ACLA at the Roundtable and educated the Committee on the value of genetic testing.

ACLA and the Results for Life Campaign are stepping up our efforts with new materials and ways of communicating with policy makers and the media.

Finally, I am pleased to welcome back to ACLA our friends at Myriad Genetic Laboratories. Myriad Genetic Laboratories and its President Dr. Greg Critchfield – a former ACLA Board member -- have rejoined ACLA. I look forward to again working with Greg and his superb team at Myriad

Alan Mertz