AACC is criticizing state Medicaid agencies that are reducing their payment rates for clinical laboratory testing even further than the recent cuts to the Medicare clinical laboratory fee schedule implemented under the Protecting Access to Medicare Act (PAMA).<

The Medicaid payment cuts “are drastic, unnecessary, and may threaten access to critical laboratory services used in the prevention, diagnosis, and monitoring of disease,” according to a letter from AACC and other professional organizations.

The letter urges Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Secretary Seema Verma to issue a bulletin that reminds Medicaid directors of their obligation to “provide Medicaid reimbursement for laboratory services that is sufficient to ensure access to those services.” The letter also asks Verma to reject any proposals from states proposing to reduce payment rates below those in the Medicare fee schedule.