Advocacy Update June 24, 2025
IN THIS ISSUE / June 24, 2025
AADA advocacy results in CMS suspending CLIA lab director restrictions
AADA urges Senate to act on House-passed Medicare payment reform
Aetna to revise claims review program, reduce burdens to physicians
Regulatory affairs
AADA advocacy results in CMS suspending CLIA lab director restrictions
Thanks to persistent advocacy by the AADA, CMS has suspended enforcement of a controversial CLIA policy that would have excluded board-certified dermatologists from serving as lab directors for moderate- and high-complexity labs.
Specifically, CMS will:
Allow individuals qualified as technical supervisors to qualify as high-complexity laboratory directors for testing in dermatopathology.
Require high-complexity laboratory directors to have a total of 2 years of laboratory training or experience and laboratory experience directing or supervising high-complexity testing, versus the original requirement of 4 years. Laboratory training in residencies and fellowships are included in the 2-year training requirement. Therefore, board certified dermatologists, dermatopathologists, and Mohs surgeons meet the requirements; no further training is required as a CLIA lab director.
Permit laboratory directors to have either at least 1 year of experience directing or supervising nonwaived laboratory testing or 20 Continuing Education (CE) credit hours in laboratory director responsibilities.
Waive the additional 20 CE credit hours currently required. As such, any individual previously qualified as a clinical consultant will continue to qualify without taking an additional 20 CE credits.
The Academy led multiple high-level meetings with CMS staff to raise concerns about the policy’s impact, emphasizing that the changes failed to recognize the full scope of board-certified dermatologists’ training and their longstanding involvement in clinical laboratory services.
CMS’s decision to pause enforcement and address these changes in future notice-and-comment rulemaking reflects the strength of AADA’s advocacy efforts and reinforces the importance of the long-standing recognition of board-certified dermatologists’ qualifications and clinical expertise in laboratory oversight. For questions, please contact regulatory@aad.org.
Medicare physician payment reform
AADA urges Senate to act on House-passed Medicare payment reform
On June 16, the Senate Finance Committee released its draft tax and health care legislation as part of the budget reconciliation process. However, the Senate version failed to include the Medicare physician payment reform language that was passed by the House in H.R.1, the Big Beautiful Bill. The AADA, and several other national specialty societies, including the American Association of Neurological Surgeons, American Society of Anesthesiologists, and American Association of Orthopedic Surgeons, urged the Senate Republican leadership (PDF) to include the Medicare payment provision when it considers its version of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.
In the letter, the societies stated that “this provision represents a critical step toward stabilizing the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule and protecting access to care for seniors and individuals with disabilities who rely on trusted clinicians in their communities.”
It is our hope that the Senate will agree with House leadership, who recognized the urgent need to rectify the failures of previous Congresses by prioritizing a significant first step toward long-term Medicare physician payment reform in the reconciliation package.
Private payer advocacy
Aetna to revise claims review program, reduce burdens to physicians
Aetna will reduce the number of physicians pulled into its claims review program, following a meeting with the AADA to address concerns with its review program for evaluation and management (E/M) levels resulting in downcoding and reduced payment. Based on prior discussions and AADA examples of inappropriate claim reductions, Aetna is working with its vendors to modify the program criteria. Aetna also agreed to develop an impact report specific to dermatology to review with the AADA at a future meeting.
AADA News
Join SkinPAC in Chicago during Innovation Academy
SkinPAC will host a donor reception on July 10 from 7:30-9:00 p.m. CT at the LondonHouse Chicago in the Etoile Room. The reception is open to all 2025 SkinPAC donors who contribute $1,000 or above and $25 for residents. To RSVP, please email skinpac@aad.org.
As of June 19, SkinPAC has raised $706,152 from 647 individuals. SkinPAC also raised $81,826 during the American Society for Mohs Surgery (ASMS) annual meeting from June 5-8. ASMS leadership led an incredible effort to educate and encourage meeting attendees on the importance of being engaged in SkinPAC.
Help us keep up the momentum as we advocate for Medicare physician payment reform! SkinPAC helps strengthen our relationships on Capitol Hill and reinforces our grassroots and lobbying efforts.
Contribute online at www.skinpac.org or by texting SkinPAC to 71777. Email skinpac@aad.org with any questions.
The political purpose of the American Academy of Dermatology Association Political Action Committee ("SkinPAC") is to solicit and receive contributions to be used to make political campaign expenditures to those candidates for elective office, and other federal political committees, who demonstrate understanding and interest in the view and goals of the American Academy of Dermatology Association.
Contributions to SkinPAC are not deductible for federal income tax purposes. Contributions to SkinPAC must be made from your funds and may not be reimbursed. SkinPAC cannot accept contributions from corporate accounts. Any recommended contribution amount is merely a suggestion. All AADA members have the right to contribute more or less or refuse to contribute without reprisal. Federal law prohibits us from accepting contributions from foreign nationals. Federal law requires us to use our best efforts to collect and report the name, physical address, occupation, and name of the employer whose contributions exceed $200 in a calendar year.
