Bipartisan support for Medicare reimbursement reform continues to grow.

The RESULTS Act aims to address longstanding concerns with how Medicare laboratory reimbursement rates are calculated under PAMA.

Currently, Medicare’s Clinical Laboratory Fee Schedule (CLFS) relies on private-payer data that industry advocates argue does not adequately represent the broader laboratory market.

The RESULTS Act seeks to improve data representation and establish safeguards against significant year-over-year reimbursement reductions.

Why does this matter?

CMS’s preliminary 2027 rates indicate substantial downward pressure on molecular pathology and genomic sequencing reimbursement, although statutory limits restrict how much rates can decline in a single year.

For independent laboratories, reimbursement stability is about more than financial sustainability. It affects investment in technology, specialized testing, and ultimately patient access to diagnostic services.

The RESULTS Act represents an opportunity to address the methodology behind laboratory reimbursement, rather than simply reacting to another round of payment cuts.

The question now is whether Congress will act before the next round of Medicare rate changes takes effect.