Quest Diagnostics Urged Congress to Pass RESULTS Act
The company seeks legislative protections as new CMS Medicare payment rates threaten clinical laboratory reimbursements.
Updated on Oct. 8, 2026 in Healthcare
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Quest Diagnostics has called on Congress to pass the RESULTS Act to prevent looming cuts to Medicare clinical laboratory payments. The request follows the release of preliminary 2027 rates that could reduce reimbursement for many diagnostic tests by approximately 16%.
Why it matters
Advocates argue the current PAMA rate-setting process is flawed and risks patient access to critical diagnostic services. By providing CMS access to private payor data and establishing annual guardrails, proponents hope to prevent the scheduled payment reductions.
CMS published preliminary 2027 payment rates for approximately 2,000 laboratory test codes. While 1,100 tests face potential decreases, 186 codes are slated for payment increases.
The players
Quest Diagnostics
This corporation is a major provider of diagnostic information services in the United States.
CMS
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is the federal agency responsible for administering Medicare and other healthcare programs.
Problem Solvers Caucus
This bipartisan group in the U.S. House of Representatives focuses on finding consensus on major policy issues.
Labcorp
This entity is a global life sciences company that provides clinical laboratory and end-to-end drug development services.
The details
The proposed legislation has gained momentum with approximately 130 congressional sponsors and support from over 70 medical and patient advocacy groups. Following the CMS rate announcement, shares of Quest Diagnostics fell nearly 5%, while Labcorp shares dropped more than 3%.
Timeline
PAMA implementation cut $4 billion from the fee schedule between 2018 and 2020.
The Problem Solvers caucus urged passage of the RESULTS Act on July 30, 2026.
CMS plans to publish final 2027 payment rates in November 2026.
Scheduled Medicare laboratory payment cuts are set to take effect on January 1, 2027.
Further payment reductions are planned for 2028 and 2029.
Market Landscape
The proposed legislation marks a significant pushback against the rate-setting frameworks established by the PAMA law. This effort highlights the ongoing tension between federal cost-containment measures and the financial viability of private diagnostic providers.
If these payment cuts take effect, consumers may see changes in the availability of certain diagnostic tests at local laboratories. Ongoing legislative efforts aim to preserve access to these services by stabilizing reimbursement rates for providers.
The takeaway
Diagnostic testing remains a high priority for the public, with 96% of surveyed voters emphasizing its importance to healthcare. Protecting laboratory access will likely remain a central point of negotiation between healthcare providers and federal regulators in the coming months.
What happens next
CMS is expected to publish the final 2027 payment rates in November 2026, followed by the implementation of scheduled reductions on January 1, 2027.
Further reading
Learn more about the current Healthcare policy environment and industry trends.
Source note: This article includes information reported by MDDI Online.
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Should Congress pass legislation to prevent potential cuts to Medicare-covered diagnostic laboratory tests?
