Healthcare IT Blog

Key takeaways CMS's preliminary 2027 Medicare Clinical Laboratory Fee Schedule (CLFS) rates average a 16% weighted cut, with up to 15% per test on January 1, 2027. Nearly 1,200 tests are affected, and more cuts are scheduled for 2028 and 2029. CMS expects final rates in November 2026, the same month as the AMP 2026 Annual Meeting and Expo in Seattle. ACLA, CAP, the AHA and the Association for Molecular Pathology (AMP) are backing the RESULTS Act, which would freeze rates for 2027 and 2028. It has not passed yet. Labs that model their top-code exposure and fix denial and underpayment leakage now will absorb the cuts best. The October issue of Laboratory Economics led with the number lab leaders have been bracing for: an average weighted cut of 16% in CMS's preliminary 2027 CLFS rates. With final rates due in November and the molecular community meeting in Seattle for AMP 2026 (#AMP2026) the same month, the cuts will be the topic on the expo floor.

The AMP 2026 Annual Meeting & Expo runs November 10 to 14 in Seattle, with the main program November 12 to 14. The ADS lab team will be in Booth #1901. Molecular lab leaders will spend three days on new assays, sequencing workflows and what comes next in precision diagnostics. The science gets the spotlight. The billing decides whether those tests get paid. If you are heading to Seattle, here are five questions worth bringing with you, and worth answering before your next payer audit.

Moving into the Future as Predicted in Science Fiction Innovative solutions continue to develop through advanced technology. It is looking more and more like we are on course to arrive in the future when Dr. McCoy quickly waves his infamous diagnostic tool over an endeared crew member to make a quick diagnosis and treat his comrade. If you haven't heard about it, this technology has been conquered. There is one thing we know for sure, technology is propelling us into the future.