Clinical Pathology Laboratories Get a New CLIA Accreditation Choice as CMS Grants Deeming Status to A2LA

There’s a new CMS accrediting organization for clinical laboratories. Medicare officials granted deeming status for 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. “We have determined that the A2LA meets or exceeds the applicable CLIA requirements,” stated the CMS announcement. The approval means that any clinical laboratory accredited by A2LA will be deemed to meet the CLIA requirements and, therefore, will generally not be subject to routine inspections by state survey agencies to determine compliance with CLIA requirements. Laboratories accredited by A2LA will still be subject to CMS’ validation and complaint investigation surveys, according to CMS. This development gives medical directors, pathologists and lab managers a new choice of an accrediting organization to meet CLIA requirements.