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February 22, 2025Bristol Event Center
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CT Society of Pathologists
127 Washington Ave
East Bldg, Lower Level
North Haven, CT 06473
Executive Administrator:
Denise Tyrrell
Phone: (203) 865-0587
Email: admin@ctpath.org
Webmaster:
Christine Minerowicz, MD
Connecticut Society of |
State Advocacy History in Connecticut
The mission of the CSP Advocacy Committee is to bring legislative awareness to pathologists within the state and communicate impacts to policymakers on the federal and state levels.
The prior state pathologist society (formerly also referred to as CSP) worked in conjunction with CAP over the years to preserve the profession of pathology in Connecticut. Special recognition to Dr. Robert Babkowski, MD, MBA for his many contributions in representing pathologists over the past years.
- 2020: During the COVID pandemic, CSP and CAP helped to lead a multispecialty physician coalition to advocate rescinding the governor’s Emergency Executive Order 7U, which attempted to override state law governing payment for out-of-network services (see above). Their advocacy resulted in the rescission of the order, protecting pathologists’ payments.
- 2017-2019: CSP and CAP fought the insurance industry over out-of-network balance billing legislation, arguing for protections for providers and patients, similar to successful legislation by neighboring New York State. The result is that payers must pay pathologists for their work, even if at an in-network rate.
- 2013: Noticing that the donation of Electronic Health Record (EHR) platforms to physician practices (promulgated by large out-of-state labs to secure their anatomic pathology work) could violate state anti-kickback laws, CSP and CAP successfully petitioned a declaratory ruling from the CT Department of Health against this practice.
- 2010: In the face of renewed opposition to direct billing by various medical specialty groups, CSP and CAP mobilized a formidable coalition of state government leaders, including Sen. Richard Blumenthal (then Atty General), to defend the standing law. Due to their efforts, the direct billing legislation was upheld.
- 2009: CSP and CAP successfully advocated for the enactment of direct billing legislation for anatomic pathology services, precluding any potential unethical markup by referring providers for that testing. Even when providers insource pathology services, pathologists are fairly paid for their work (not less than the Medicare rate) as a result of this advocacy.
- 2001: After a Department of Social Services decision to reduce pathologists’ Medicaid reimbursement by half, CSP and CAP joined forces to reverse that decision, resulting in full restoration of pathologists’ Medicaid reimbursement.