Yeah!!! ________________________________ From: American Society for Clinical Pathology [mailto:a...@site1.ascpmail.org] Sent: Friday, February 11, 2011 18:07 To: Weems, Joyce Subject: CMS to Rescind Physician Signature Requirement
[http://www.ascp.org/ImageLibrary/Email-Images/ePolicyNews-Header.aspx] CMS to Rescind Physician Signature Requirement; CMS' Change in Policy Illustrates the Power of Grassroots Advocacy The American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP) is pleased to announce that it has learned that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) is planning to rescind its recent rule requiring a physician's signature on requisitions for laboratory tests reimbursed under the Medicare clinical laboratory fee schedule. The CMS rule proved very controversial and prompted not only the collective opposition of the entire laboratory coalition but also the American Medical Association and a number of other medical specialty societies. ASCP, in tandem with its partners in the Clinical Laboratory Coalition, mounted an aggressive campaign to protest the proposal. ASCP launched two separate advocacy campaigns on the rule. The first campaign let CMS know directly the concerns of ASCP members, while the second campaign was intended to encourage members of Congress to contact CMS in opposition to the rule. In total, ASCP members wrote more than 2,000 letters in opposition to the rule. CMS received a loud and clear message<http://emessage.chicago.ascp.org/emessageirs/servlet/IRSL?v=4&l=1&r=11118&m=578&e=2> from Congress today as the agency received a letter from 89 members of the U.S. House of Representatives and another letter from more than 30 U.S. Senators<http://emessage.chicago.ascp.org/emessageirs/servlet/IRSL?v=4&l=2&r=11118&m=578&e=2>. In announcing the agency's intent to withdraw the rule, it was mentioned that the agency would officially withdraw the rule well in advance of the April 1 date that the rule was supposed to go into effect. For more information on the rule, click here<http://emessage.chicago.ascp.org/emessageirs/servlet/IRSL?v=4&l=3&r=11118&m=578&e=2>. ASCP will provide more information about this important development in ASCP's upcoming issue of e-Policy News. [http://www.chicago.ascp.org/pics/HologicCORP2_4c.jpg]<http://emessage.chicago.ascp.org/emessageirs/servlet/IRSL?v=4&l=4&r=11118&m=578&e=2> ASCP Washington News is supported by an unrestricted grant from Hologic. Tell a friend: Not everyone receives ASCP's e-Policy News, so forward this message to your peers and co-workers. 2011 American Society for Clinical Pathology 33 West Monroe Street, Chicago, IL 60603 312.541.4999 i...@ascp.org<mailto:i...@ascp.org> ABOUT THIS MESSAGE | You are receiving this e-mail because you have been certified by the Board of Certification (BOC) are a member of ASCP, have attended ASCP programs/meetings or made a purchase from ASCP. If you no longer wish to receive e-mails of this kind from ASCP, please login<http://emessage.chicago.ascp.org/emessageirs/servlet/IRSL?v=4&l=6&r=11118&m=578&e=2> to change your email preferences or call Customer Service at 800.267.2727. This e-mail message complies with all CAN-SPAM 2004 regulations. It was sent to you by the American Society for Clinical Pathology, 33 West Monroe Street, Suite 1600, Chicago, IL 60603. Confidentiality Notice: This e-mail, including any attachments is the property of Catholic Health East and is intended for the sole use of the intended recipient(s). It may contain information that is privileged and confidential. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure, or distribution is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please delete this message, and reply to the sender regarding the error in a separate email. _______________________________________________ Histonet mailing list Histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu http://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet
