PAMA cuts averted until 2027; CAP supports delay

Feb. 4, 2026—Congress passed yesterday a five-bill package called the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2026, ending the partial government shutdown that began on Jan. 31. The package delays the 2026 Medicare cuts to lab tests of up to 15 percent until 2027. The bill also includes additional key health care provisions, including funding for cancer research. The CAP supports the delay as it gives Congress time to enact long-term reform. The Reforming and Enhancing Sustainable Updates to Laboratory Testing Services (RESULTS) Act would ensure that pathologists are fairly compensated and would also safeguard patients’ access to critical tests.