MLO - Medical Laboratory Observer

Medicare lab spending is changing—and fast. 🧬📊

A new OIG report shows Medicare Part B lab test spending reached $8.4B in 2024, with nearly half tied to just 25 tests. The biggest shift?
🔹 Genetic testing now accounts for 43% of total lab spending, up from 18% in 2018
🔹 Medicare Part B genetic test coverage jumped 160% in six years

👉 Read our breakdown of the Top 25 clinical lab tests based on Medicare expenditures: https://bit.ly/4bGk85M.

Top 25 clinical lab tests based on Medicare expenditures The 2024 Medicare Part B lab testing report highlights a 5% spending increase to $8.4 billion, driven by a 160% rise in genetic testing since 2018.

Upcoming free CE opportunity: Understanding Blood-Based Biomarkers (BBMs) for Alzheimer’s Disease​

Date: February 11, 2026, at 12:00 PM CST
Credits: 1 CE
Presenter: Dr. James Galvin, MD, MPH
Sponsor: Beckman Coulter
Cost: Free

Blood-based biomarkers (BBMs) are rapidly emerging as a practical and minimally invasive tool for improving Alzheimer’s disease (AD) diagnosis and patient care. This webinar will provide laboratory professionals with an in-depth look at the science behind BBMs, including key markers such as p-tau217, Aβ42/40, neurofilament light (NfL), and GFAP, and their integration into the AT(N) diagnostic framework. We will examine assay performance, analytical considerations, and the advantages and limitations of plasma-based testing compared to CSF and imaging modalities. Attendees will gain actionable insights into current and future applications of BBMs in clinical workflows, regulatory status, and how these innovations can support accurate, cost-effective testing in diverse laboratory settings.

Register here: https://bit.ly/4r2aU8G

One in three Americans avoid recommended blood tests.

For clinical laboratories and healthcare organizations, that statistic should stop us in our tracks.

Blood testing underpins nearly 70% of medical decisions, yet missed appointments and delayed collections continue to undermine diagnoses, treatment timelines, and patient trust.

In a recent MLO online exclusive, Kimberly Wilson explores how the blood testing journey can be redesigned to be truly patient-centric—and why this shift is both a clinical imperative and a strategic opportunity.

Key takeaways for lab and healthcare leaders:

• Access matters: Decentralized collection sites and flexible scheduling reduce no-shows and speed time to diagnosis
• Comfort counts: Capillary collection innovations and more accommodating environments can lower anxiety and improve adherence
• Communication is critical: Clear education and patient-friendly results reporting drive engagement and follow-through

When labs remove friction from the testing experience, patients are more likely to complete screenings—and more likely to stay loyal to the organizations that made it easier.

👉 Read the full article and see how small operational changes can deliver measurable impact across care quality and patient experience: https://bit.ly/3NUcI4T.

Redesigning the blood testing journey for a more patient-centric experience One in every three Americans have knowingly avoided recommended blood screenings.1 This is in spite of the fact that blood testing is one of the most common and indispensable ...

⏰ Final days to apply for the 2026 MLO Lab of the Year Award

✔ No word limit
✔ Documentation encouraged

If your lab has demonstrated excellence in patient care, productivity, teamwork, customer service, education and training, and strategic outlook—this is your moment.

📩 Submissions due January 12 to [email protected].