YOUR VOICE IS A VITAL LINK!

The active involvement of ASCLS members in the political process provides the vital link between the society’s government relations goals and the legislators who can help to achieve these goals. ASCLS needs the participation of all its members if we hope to effectively influence the formulation of appropriate government policy on health care issues vital to the professional interests of clinical laboratory practitioners and the patients we serve.

Your participation in the legislative process really DOES make a difference. “Grassroots” response to recent “Action Alerts” has provided ASCLS and the other associations comprising the Clinical Laboratory Coalition with the critical support needed to successfully influence several bills before the U.S. Congress. When the Bioterrorism bill was passed last summer, it contained provisions to address the critical laboratory personnel shortage. These provisions were in the bill because of successful “grassroots” lobbying. Proposals to impose a 20% co-pay on laboratory services to Medicare beneficiaries or to require that laboratory fees be determined using a competitive bidding process have been unsuccessful due in large part to the strong opposition from the laboratory community.

When ASCLS (or ASCLS-Ohio) issues an “Action Alert,” the home page of this website will place notification to visit this page.

Everything that you need to respond to the alert will be included with the request for action. The information provided typically includes a summary of the issue and the importance to our profession, an issue “fact sheet,” specific instructions about which members of Congress (Senators and/or Representative) to contact and a sample letter that you can customize so that it “sounds” like you.