Problem Solvers Caucus Endorses Bill to Strengthen Access to Diagnostic TestingWASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the Problem Solvers Caucus announced its endorsement of the Reforming and Enhancing Sustainable Updates to Laboratory Testing Services (RESULTS) Act (H.R. 5269), bipartisan legislation to modernize the Medicare Clinical Laboratory Fee Schedule (CLFS) and help ensure continued access to high-quality diagnostic testing for Medicare beneficiaries. The Medicare Clinical Laboratory Fee Schedule (CLFS) is the system Medicare uses to establish the cost of lab tests for Medicare beneficiaries. Clinical laboratory services are essential to patient care, informing approximately 70 percent of clinical decisions. Without congressional action, payment rates for hundreds of routine laboratory tests are scheduled to face reductions beginning in 2027, creating uncertainty for patients and raising concerns about access to critical diagnostic services, particularly in rural communities. The RESULTS Act would:
The RESULTS Act is led by Representative Richard Hudson (NC-09) and has 106 additional cosponsors, including 22 Members of the Problem Solvers Caucus. The bill was brought forward for Caucus endorsement by Representatives Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01) and Scott Peters (CA-50). "San Diego is one of the nation's top scientific research hubs and home to more than 2,100 life science companies and institutions. Our world-class laboratories turn cutting-edge research into precise diagnoses that help patients and their doctors make the best-possible medical decisions," said Congressman Scott Peters (CA-50). "Our bill would fix Medicare’s outdated payment system, which puts labs at risk of unpredictable payment cuts and threatens access to lifesaving care for San Diegans and seniors across the country. I'm glad to have the Problem Solvers Caucus behind the RESULTS Act, and I look forward to working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to get this over the finish line." “Nearly every course of care begins with a laboratory result. It is the answer that can catch disease early, guide the right treatment, and give patients precious time. For seniors, access to that testing cannot depend on an outdated payment system built on incomplete data and repeated temporary fixes. The RESULTS Act delivers the lasting reform patients and providers deserve—protecting access, preventing destabilizing cuts, and creating a fair, sustainable framework for the laboratories our health system relies on. I am grateful to my colleagues in the Problem Solvers Caucus for standing with me behind this legislation and affirming that no senior should face delayed care because Washington failed to fix a problem we can solve,” said Problem Solvers Caucus Co-Chair Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01). “The Problem Solvers Caucus is leading on this important effort to cut medical red tape and help ensure our seniors on Medicare have access to the diagnostic tests they need,” said Problem Solvers Caucus Co-Chair Congressman Tom Suozzi (NY-03). “The Problem Solvers Caucus brings Republicans and Democrats together in support of practical solutions to complex policy challenges,” said Susan Van Meter, President of the American Clinical Laboratory Association (ACLA). “Their endorsement of the RESULTS Act underscores the growing bipartisan recognition that Medicare’s clinical laboratory payment system should be strengthened through thoughtful, data-driven reforms that protect access to laboratory testing services patients rely on at every step of their health care journey. "Roche Diagnostics applauds the Problem Solvers Caucus for endorsing the RESULTS Act (H.R. 5269), which will help protect seniors' access to the essential tests they rely on every day. As a developer of innovative diagnostic testing, we know that a strong, sustainable laboratory infrastructure is critical to patient care," said Ami Simunovich, Global Head of Quality, Regulatory & External Affairs, Roche Diagnostics. “For the six in 10 Americans living with at least one chronic disease, access to laboratory testing is essential to monitoring their conditions and guiding treatment decisions,” said Liz Helms, Chief Executive Officer of the Chronic Care Policy Alliance. “By endorsing the RESULTS Act, the Problem Solvers Caucus is supporting a sustainable solution that would protect access to the clinical laboratory testing patients rely on.” “Access to timely laboratory tests and diagnostics is essential to helping patients and their family caregivers understand and manage their chronic conditions. The RESULTS Act is an important bipartisan step toward strengthening the Medicare payment system for clinical laboratories, mitigating destabilizing payment cuts, and helping ensure patients continue to have access to these critical diagnostic services,” Spokesperson for the National Health Council. ### The Problem Solvers Caucus is a group of Members of Congress — split between Republicans and Democrats — committed to advancing common-sense solutions to key issues facing our nation. |