Welcome to the
American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science - Oregon
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Welcome to the American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science - Oregon |
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Latest News
9/18/09 Did you miss the Oregon Scientific Seminar? Catch up on what was discussed at the General Assembly meeting. The General Assembly meeting is open to all members to find out and discuss the happenings of our society. These meetings are usually held in conjunction with a seminar and provide new members the opportunity to become introduced to the workings of our society and the opportunity for members to become involved. 9/1/09 The Northwest Medical Laboratory Symposium 2010 Planning is underway. The location is in place, and now we need YOU... (see below) 8/27/09 ASCLS Action Alert! The Clinical Laboratory Coalition, of which ASCLS is a member, has written the Senate Finance Committee after learning a 20% Medicare laboratory co-pay was being proposed by the Senate Finance Committee. They told the Committee Chair... (see below) 8/24/09 Oregon Association for Clinical Laboratory Science has officially been changed to American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science-Oregon. This name change will show more continuity between our state constituent and our national society. 7/21/09 NCA and ASCP BOR have merged to form one Certification Agency... (see below)
Upcoming Events
10/21 - 10/24 Northwest Medical Laboratory Symposium in Seattle * see the Events page for details * Please note, this website will undergo several updates in the near future. Please visit often to find new links, educational & professional opportunities, and the latest news regarding our profession and society to help you stay connected. ASCLS-OR is your voice, values, and vision! Questions? Contact Webmaster
9/1/09 The Northwest Medical Laboratory Symposium 2010 Planning is underway. The location is in place, and now we need YOU to volunteer for this event! We are looking to fill all positions starting with a General Chair, (or Co-Chairs) and Program Chair. Whether you have been involved in any volunteering or planning with any event in the past or this is your first experience, you can have a fun time networking with others like you, while gaining expertise in event planning and coordinating. Additional benefits also include paid registration to this exciting event which hosts the largest vendor expo in the northwest! Contact the President for more information. 8/27/09 ASCLS Action Alert! The Clinical Laboratory Coalition, of which ASCLS is a member, has written the Senate Finance Committee after learning a 20% Medicare laboratory co-pay was being proposed by the Senate Finance Committee. They told the Committee Chair that: the co-pay financially burdens beneficiaries, laboratories, hospitals and clinics and will not accomplish any change in utilization because laboratory services are ordered by physicians and other health care providers, not initiated by patients. The result of this proposed policy is a not a cost savings to our health care system, but rather, a staggering new $20 billion cost shift to seniors and additional operating costs for laboratories, clinics and hospitals. Congress has previously rejected this idea both because it does not result in a change in utilization and because of the huge costs to collect these small co-pays. The proposal shifts over $20 billion in program costs to the senior citizens and then requires the collection of that $20 billion in the most administratively inefficient manner imaginable. Implementation of a laboratory co-pay will require over one quarter million bills to be mailed every day. In addition to the burden and confusion these 134 million bills will create for seniors, the cost of collecting $20 billion in these small amounts will exceed the co-pay itself. Seniors in rural areas and in nursing homes and home health settings would be hardest hit. These patients are served primarily by small, local independent and hospital laboratories that specialize in serving these most vulnerable populations. These local, small laboratories have tight operating margins and could ill-afford what is, in essence, a 20-25% cut in their reimbursement. This co-pay provision could quickly put many of these small laboratories out of business with no one to replace their services for these most vulnerable seniors. The Coalition stated that: we strongly support the goal of expanding health coverage and ensuring that a reformed health system prioritizes screening, wellness and prevention as well as treating disease; but, as Congress and the Institute of Medicine confirmed, in a review of Medicare Laboratory Payment Policy, the cost of billing and collecting co-payment amounts, combined with the associated bad debt, would significantly exceed the expected co-payment amount. A co-pay would contribute to already unacceptable cuts in payment for laboratory services and reduce the opportunity for technological and scientific advancements in the promising area of laboratory medicine. In fact, Medicare payment amounts for clinical laboratory services have been reduced by about 40 percent in real (inflation-adjusted) terms. The Congressionally mandated update for clinical labs has been completely eliminated 10 of the last 12 years, and over the past 21 years, clinical labs have only received 5 full updates. The laboratory industry has already offered other meaningful savings that will contribute to slowing the growth of health care costs and supports policies that produce real measurable savings. However, there are few, if any, health providers that could absorb a $20 billion reduction as included in the proposal to institute copayments on clinical laboratory services. While we appreciate the importance of covering the uninsured, this suggestion needs to be rejected as a financing mechanism because it is unworkable, inequitable and would irrevocably harm a critical component of our health care infrastructure. CONTACT OUR SENATORS, RON WYDEN AND JEFF MERKLEY, TO TELL THEM WHY THEY SHOULD OPPOSE ANY CO-PAY PROVISIONS! 7/21/09 NCA and ASCP BOR have merged to form one Certification Agency which will be known as the ASCP BOC (Board of Certification), effective October 23, 2009. A power point slide presentation, shown at the ASCLS Annual Meeting in Chicago, July 21-25, may be found on the NCA or ASCP websites. Further information may be found on the NCA or CLSI (formally NCCLS) website. You can also view the FAQ. |
