Two pieces of bipartisan legislation introduced in Congress in 2025 address ongoing workforce and funding challenges in US clinical laboratories. The Medical Laboratory Personnel Shortage Relief Act of 2025 (H.R. 5444) and the Reforming and Enhancing Sustainable Updates to Laboratory Testing Services (RESULTS) Act (S. 2761/H.R. 5269) propose measures to expand laboratory training capacity and revise reimbursement calculations for diagnostic testing under Medicare.
The bills reflect growing concern among lawmakers and industry groups about maintaining laboratory staffing levels and financial stability amid rising demand for diagnostic testing services.
Expanding laboratory training programs to address workforce shortages
The Medical Laboratory Personnel Shortage Relief Act, introduced by Representatives Deborah Ross (D-NC) and Jen Kiggans (R-VA), would authorize a federal grant program to support training programs for medical laboratory scientists (MLSs) and medical laboratory technicians (MLTs).
According to information released by the sponsors, the legislation aims to increase enrollment capacity in accredited training programs, recruit qualified teaching faculty, and expand access to clinical placements in hospitals and laboratories. The proposal follows reports of persistent staffing vacancies across the clinical laboratory sector and limited capacity in existing educational programs.
Reforming Medicare’s Clinical Laboratory Fee Schedule
The RESULTS Act of 2025 would amend provisions of the Protecting Access to Medicare Act (PAMA) of 2014 that established the Clinical Laboratory Fee Schedule (CLFS). Under the existing system, payment rates for diagnostic tests are tied to market data collected from laboratories. Several professional organizations have raised concerns that data from smaller or hospital-based laboratories were underrepresented, leading to larger-than-anticipated reductions in reimbursement rates.
The RESULTS Act proposes revisions intended to improve data collection methods and reduce administrative complexity for laboratories and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). If enacted, the legislation would also delay or limit future payment reductions while new rate-setting mechanisms are evaluated.
What the proposed laboratory legislation means for lab managers
Both legislative efforts address issues that influence staffing and budget planning for clinical laboratories. Expanding training capacity could affect long-term workforce availability, while changes to reimbursement rates may alter financial projections and procurement decisions.
Laboratory managers may wish to monitor the progress of these bills as they move through Congress to better understand potential implications for hiring, training partnerships, and revenue forecasting.
This article was created with the assistance of Generative AI and has undergone editorial review before publishing.
