MLO - Medical Laboratory Observer

02/08/2026

Medicare lab spending is changing—and fast. 🧬📊

A new OIG report shows Medicare Part B lab test spending reached $8.4B in 2024, with nearly half tied to just 25 tests. The biggest shift?
🔹 Genetic testing now accounts for 43% of total lab spending, up from 18% in 2018
🔹 Medicare Part B genetic test coverage jumped 160% in six years

👉 Read our breakdown of the Top 25 clinical lab tests based on Medicare expenditures: https://bit.ly/4bGk85M.

The 2024 Medicare Part B lab testing report highlights a 5% spending increase to $8.4 billion, driven by a 160% rise in genetic testing since 2018.

02/06/2026

Upcoming free CE opportunity: Understanding Blood-Based Biomarkers (BBMs) for Alzheimer’s Disease​

Date: February 11, 2026, at 12:00 PM CST
Credits: 1 CE
Presenter: Dr. James Galvin, MD, MPH
Sponsor: Beckman Coulter
Cost: Free

Blood-based biomarkers (BBMs) are rapidly emerging as a practical and minimally invasive tool for improving Alzheimer’s disease (AD) diagnosis and patient care. This webinar will provide laboratory professionals with an in-depth look at the science behind BBMs, including key markers such as p-tau217, Aβ42/40, neurofilament light (NfL), and GFAP, and their integration into the AT(N) diagnostic framework. We will examine assay performance, analytical considerations, and the advantages and limitations of plasma-based testing compared to CSF and imaging modalities. Attendees will gain actionable insights into current and future applications of BBMs in clinical workflows, regulatory status, and how these innovations can support accurate, cost-effective testing in diverse laboratory settings.

Register here: https://bit.ly/4r2aU8G

02/02/2026

📊 Proficiency testing questions?

MLO’s popular “Dear API Abby” column is back with practical guidance on PT enrollment requirements, reinstatement testing, and how to stay on track with regulators.

👉 Read the latest installment—exclusively on our website—and submit your PT questions to editor@mlo-online.com
API Abby returns in April.

https://bit.ly/4asKGGz?

Dear API Abby, I received a notice from my accreditation agency that I am not enrolled in all the proficiency testing I need. I am enrolled for all the tests we perform in the...

01/26/2026

Claims denials tied to laboratory testing aren’t just frustrating—they’re quietly draining revenue across the industry.

In this MLO online exclusive Q&A, Roshan Patel, Founder & CEO of Arrow unpacks why lab claims are being denied and where labs are most often caught off guard with MLO Editor-in-Chief, Christina Wichmann.

One key takeaway?
Most denials don’t stem from bad testing—they come from breakdowns in the basics:

- Missing or mismatched diagnosis codes

- Medical necessity rules that changed without warning

- Incomplete or inconsistent ordering information

- When those small issues repeat at scale, revenue leaks add up fast.

The conversation also explores how staffing shortages and rising test volumes are forcing labs to rethink the revenue cycle—and why smarter automation isn’t about replacing billing teams, but helping them see patterns sooner, prioritize risk, and prevent denials before they happen.

💡 The result:
Fewer claims in limbo, faster resolution, and a billing experience that feels clearer—not frustrating—for patients.

👉 Read the full Q&A to learn how laboratories can protect revenue while delivering a more patient-friendly testing experience: https://bit.ly/3YLKjjV.

An interview with Roshan Patel

01/25/2026

A new national survey of 1,000 U.S. patients conducted by YouGov and commissioned by Siemens Healthineers reveals a clear shift:
• 93% expect their doctor to order a lab test if they ask
• 37% have requested testing based on personal research
• 27% pursued blood testing out of curiosity—without a physician’s recommendation

At the same time, nearly half aren’t sharing self-test results with their providers. That’s a major signal for labs navigating quality, education, and patient trust.

👉 Read the full article and survey insights: https://bit.ly/3NAYUMG?

A comprehensive survey by YouGov and commissioned by Siemens Healthineers reveals that U.S. patients increasingly seek control over their diagnostic testing, showing a preference...

01/23/2026

🚨 Last call for nominations

If your laboratory has made meaningful, measurable improvements, don’t let the work go unnoticed.

The MLO Lab of the Year Award honors laboratories advancing quality patient care—and the professionals behind the scenes making it happen.

🗓 Deadline: TODAY
📧 Submit to: cwichmann@mlo-online.com

More information here: https://bit.ly/3LDUELN.

This award coincides with National Medical Laboratory Professional Week, providing an opportunity for labs to showcase their contributions to healthcare. Criteria include customer...

01/22/2026

Every day, nearly 2,000 U.S. workers suffer job-related eye injuries—and clinical laboratories are among the highest-risk environments. Even with PPE, splashes and spurts happen. When they do, seconds—not minutes—determine outcomes.

This MLO Online Exclusive emphasizes the critical importance of eye protection in medical laboratories, highlighting standards and OSHA regulations, and advocating for best practices including proper placement, maintenance, and innovative combination units to ensure immediate response during chemical exposures.

👉 Read the full article and see how proximity can change outcomes: https://bit.ly/3LTWt7q.

Eyes are among the most delicate and vital organs of the human body — essential to both our work and our quality of life. In medical laboratory environments, protecting ...

01/20/2026

One in three Americans avoid recommended blood tests.

For clinical laboratories and healthcare organizations, that statistic should stop us in our tracks.

Blood testing underpins nearly 70% of medical decisions, yet missed appointments and delayed collections continue to undermine diagnoses, treatment timelines, and patient trust.

In a recent MLO online exclusive, Kimberly Wilson explores how the blood testing journey can be redesigned to be truly patient-centric—and why this shift is both a clinical imperative and a strategic opportunity.

Key takeaways for lab and healthcare leaders:

• Access matters: Decentralized collection sites and flexible scheduling reduce no-shows and speed time to diagnosis
• Comfort counts: Capillary collection innovations and more accommodating environments can lower anxiety and improve adherence
• Communication is critical: Clear education and patient-friendly results reporting drive engagement and follow-through

When labs remove friction from the testing experience, patients are more likely to complete screenings—and more likely to stay loyal to the organizations that made it easier.

👉 Read the full article and see how small operational changes can deliver measurable impact across care quality and patient experience: https://bit.ly/3NUcI4T.

One in every three Americans have knowingly avoided recommended blood screenings.1 This is in spite of the fact that blood testing is one of the most common and indispensable ...

01/19/2026

⏰ Final week to apply for the 2026 MLO Lab of the Year Award!

✔ No word limit
✔ Documentation encouraged

If your lab has demonstrated excellence in patient care, productivity, teamwork, customer service, education and training, and strategic outlook—this is your moment.

📩 Submissions due January 23 to cwichmann@mlo-online.com.

This award coincides with National Medical Laboratory Professional Week, providing an opportunity for labs to showcase their contributions to healthcare. Criteria include customer...

01/16/2026

A major shift in cervical cancer screening is here—and clinical laboratories will play a pivotal role.

Earlier this month, HRSA released its first major update to evidence-based cervical cancer screening guidelines in nearly a decade, signaling a clear move toward primary high-risk HPV (hrHPV) testing as the preferred option for women ages 30–65.

Key takeaways for lab professionals:
• Primary hrHPV testing every 5 years is now preferred for average-risk women 30–65
• HPV self-collection is explicitly endorsed as an acceptable option for certain groups
• Co-testing with cytology remains acceptable when hrHPV testing isn’t available
• Follow-up testing without cost sharing (including dual stain, genotyping, colposcopy) begins in 2027

Why it matters: hrHPV testing offers higher sensitivity for detecting precancer—and expanded access options like self-collection could help close screening gaps for underserved populations.

As screening models evolve, labs will be central to ensuring accuracy, access, and continuity across the diagnostic pathway.

👉 Read the full breakdown of the updated guidelines and what they mean for laboratory practice: https://bit.ly/4b9teYF

An overview of HRSA's updated evidence-based cervical cancer screening guidelines.

01/12/2026

Will 2026 bring relief—or more uncertainty—for clinical laboratory reimbursement?

That question took center stage during a January 8 House Energy & Commerce Subcommittee hearing on Medicare payment policy and the proposed RESULTS Act.

Testimony from ACLA highlighted why many labs say the current PAMA framework isn’t working: outdated data, ongoing reimbursement cuts, and a reporting burden that pulls focus from patient care. Since 2018, Medicare lab payments have been reduced far beyond original projections—and more cuts are looming.

The RESULTS Act aims to change course by:
• Using broader, more current commercial market data
• Easing reporting requirements for most labs
• Freezing CLFS rates temporarily to stabilize the system
• Capping future payment reductions

In this MLO update, Editor-in-Chief Christina Wichmann outlines what happened at the hearing, what’s in the legislation, and why another short-term PAMA delay is likely before long-term reform takes hold.

🔗 Get the full breakdown: https://bit.ly/4sI64iq

The House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health held a hearing January 8th  to discuss legislation on Medicare payment policies and services for seniors, including...

01/05/2026

⏰ Final days to apply for the 2026 MLO Lab of the Year Award

✔ No word limit
✔ Documentation encouraged

If your lab has demonstrated excellence in patient care, productivity, teamwork, customer service, education and training, and strategic outlook—this is your moment.

📩 Submissions due January 12 to cwichmann@mlo-online.com.