Clinical Pathology Laboratories Get a New CLIA Accreditation Choice as CMS Grants Deeming Status to A2LA
NEWS UPDATE: American Association of Laboratory Accreditation (A2LA) is given four-year authority to accredit clinical laboratories to CLIA requirements for all specialty and subspecialty lab test areas
There’s a new Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services-approved (CMS) accrediting organization for clinical laboratories. Medicare officials granted deeming status for Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) to the American Association for Laboratory Accreditation (A2LA). The approval marks the first time in two decades that CMS has added a new organization to accredit medical laboratories under CLIA.
CMS announced the approval in a notice published March 25 in the Federal Register. CMS approved A2LA’s application as an accreditation organization for clinical laboratories under CLIA for all specialty and subspecialty areas for four years. “We have determined that the A2LA meets or exceeds the applicable CLIA requirements,” stated the CMS announcement. (more…)