Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Richard Hudson (NC-08)
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Representative Richard Hudson (NC-09) joined Reps. Gus Bilirakis (FL-12), Scott Peters (CA-50), Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01), and Raja Krishnamoorthi (IL-08), and U.S. Senators Thom Tillis (NC) and Raphael Warnock (GA) to introduce the Reforming and Enhancing Sustainable Updates to Laboratory Services (RESULTS) Act. This bipartisan, bicameral legislation reforms Medicare’s Clinical Laboratory Fee Schedule to protect timely access to routine and lifesaving lab tests for seniors.
“Clinical labs are the backbone of modern medicine, providing diagnostics and detections to inform decisions and give patients and doctors the answers they need,” Said Rep. Hudson. “By passing the RESULTS Act, we can stop devastating cuts that would have threatened access to routine and lifesaving tests. This bipartisan bill delivers stability, cuts red tape, and ensures seniors and families can continue to count on timely, accurate results. I’m proud to have led this fight and deliver a commonsense solution that protects patients and strengthens care.”
Overview:
Currently, reimbursement rates for clinical laboratory tests are based on data from less than one percent of labs. While the potential cuts have been continuously delayed by Congress, without permanent action, there will be increasing cuts to payments for tests, jeopardizing care. The RESULTS Act will strengthen how Medicare sets and updates payment rates for these tests. It builds on prior efforts from Congress by allowing the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to use comprehensive private claims data to establish fair, market-based rates for widely available tests. The bill reduces administrative burden on labs, adds guardrails to avoid destabilizing cuts, and updates reporting timelines so patients, providers, and payers can plan with confidence.
American Clinical Laboratory Association (ACLA) President Susan Van Meter: “Clinical laboratory services, from the most routine to those driving personalized medicine, are indispensable to clinicians and patients. ACLA is grateful to the bipartisan sponsors of the RESULTS Act for advancing a smart solution that brings stability and ensures seniors get the essential results they deserve.”
National Independent Laboratory Association (NILA) Executive Director Mark S. Birenbaum, Ph.D.: “Many common tests are facing cuts of up to 15 percent. Without immediate reform, regional and community labs could be forced to close, leaving patients without access to critical testing. NILA applauds the bipartisan introduction of the RESULTS Act and urges swift passage.”
“I’ve long championed early detection as the cornerstone of prevention and quality care. Through my work with PA-1 health advocates and partners, I know how critical clinical labs are to keeping our seniors healthy and strengthening our health system. Without ensuring a sustainable solution, labs will close, care will be delayed, and our seniors will pay the price. The RESULTS Act is a bipartisan, commonsense solution to block these cuts, protect essential services, and ensure seniors across the country have access to timely care,” said Rep. Fitzpatrick.
“Strong clinical laboratories are vital to delivering high-quality care, especially for seniors who depend on timely testing to maintain their health,” said Rep. Bilirakis. “The RESULTS Act will protect access to these essential services and help ensure that families in Florida—and across the country—can continue to receive the care they need.”
“Clinical labs drive innovation in health care, from early detection to guiding lifesaving treatments,” said Rep. Peters. “The RESULTS Act protects access to these essential services and ensures our health system can keep pace with the needs of patients. I’m proud to support this effort to strengthen care for seniors and families in California and across the nation.”
“Seniors across America rely on timely, accurate lab tests to detect disease, guide treatment, and prevent serious health problems. The RESULTS Act ensures those services remain accessible and affordable while fostering innovation in our health system. I’m proud to partner with colleagues from both sides of the aisle on this legislation to safeguard this lifeline for families in Illinois and nationwide.” Said Rep. Krishnamorthi.
“It is critically important that seniors have uninterrupted access to innovative diagnostic tests,” said Senator Tillis. “The Reforming and Enhancing Sustainable Updates to Laboratory Testing Services Act is a necessary step toward ensuring this access and supporting seniors’ health care needs. I’m proud to work with my colleagues to permanently fix flawed data collection and reporting methods which will allow Medicare beneficiaries to continue receiving quality and affordable lab services.”
Senator Raphael Warnock: “Access to quality clinical labs is essential to keeping our seniors living long, healthy lives,”said Senator Reverend Warnock. “I’m proud to partner with my colleague Senator Tillis to put forward this legislative fix that will help ensure Georgia seniors will continue to have access to high-quality diagnostic services.”
What the RESULTS Act Does:
• Uses an independent, comprehensive commercial claims database to set fair, market-based rates for widely available tests
• Cancels pending cuts in 2026 by freezing rates at 2025 levels during implementation
• Caps future year-over-year reductions at 5 percent once fully implemented in 2029
• Excludes non-market Medicaid managed care rates from payment calculations
• Dramatically reduces reporting burden by shifting data collection for widely available tests away from individual labs
• Extends the interval between data collection periods from three to four years
• Maintains direct reporting only for non-widely available tests and Advanced Diagnostic Laboratory Tests
Read the full bill text here: [LINK]