3:59 p.m., March 30, 2009----Seven juniors in the University of Delaware's Department of Medical Technology went to the 2009 Legislative Symposium sponsored by the American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science on March 23-24 in Washington, D.C., and discussed important health care issues with members of Congress.

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The seven students who visited Washington were Erica Godwin, who is studying medical technology and biological sciences and is in the Honors Program; Sohil Golwala, who is studying medical technology and biological sciences; Jacinta Gracias, who is studying medical technology and biological sciences and is in the Honors Program; Torsten Joerger, who is studying medical technology; Katie Krattenmaker, who is studying medical technology and biological sciences and is in the UD Honors Program; Alaa Mahmoud, who is studying medical technology and biomedical engineering and is in the Honors Program; and Katie Schieffer, who is studying medical technology and biological sciences.

Mary Ann McLane, professor in the Department of Medical Technology, said the trip is a requirement for the honors section of Clinical Physiological Chemistry (MEDT401), where the theme is "advocacy.”

“We focus on the critical role of the clinical laboratory professional, and the tests they perform for diagnosis and treatment decisions, and how such professionals can advocate for the patients we serve,” McLane said.

McLane said Congress is “always looking to the clinical lab as a place to cut costs in Medicare spending, even though clinical lab testing only makes up about 0.5 percent of the actual Medicare budget.”

The honors section learned about proposed legislation in HR 1452, the Medicare Fee Modernization Act, which will use negotiated rulemaking to bring all the key stakeholders together to revise the Medicare fee schedule. The schedule has not been updated since 1984.

“Imagine receiving the same salary you were in 1984, and yet needing to pay for supplies with 2009 prices,” McLane said.

The students met with legislators from Delaware and New Jersey, including U.S. Sen. Thomas R. Carper, to discuss the issue, and also described the urgency of the clinical laboratory personnel shortage.