Posted: | June 8, 2023 02:20 PM |
---|---|
From: | Representative Paul Schemel |
To: | All House members |
Subject: | PA Laboratory Advertisement Modernization (Prior HB 1443) |
Clinical laboratories serve as a critical part of the healthcare delivery system, with laboratory tests and procedures informing 70% of healthcare decisions. As our nation’s healthcare system continues to grow and evolve, consumers are demanding greater transparency and to be more engaged in how healthcare is delivered to them. Despite that, Pennsylvania’s outdated clinical laboratory regulations, adopted in the late 1960’s, currently prohibit laboratories from advertising to the general public for diagnostic laboratory services. With the COVID-19 pandemic and the expansion of telehealth services, it has never been more important for consumers to be provided with information concerning the availability of diagnostic laboratory testing options available to them. Hence, I plan to reintroduce legislation to permit laboratory services to be marketed to Pennsylvania consumers, if the diagnostics laboratory services were ordered by a healthcare practitioner and a CLIA licensed clinical laboratory processes the diagnostic laboratory test. I believe permitting outreach to Pennsylvania consumers with accurate, scientifically based diagnostic information can be a source of personalized, highly relevant insight to help foster better, more informed dialogue with healthcare providers and ultimately enable Pennsylvania consumers to take action to improve their health. Please join me in cosponsoring this important legislation. |
Introduced as HB1558