The Government Wants Your Input on Lab Test Rules: Here Is How to Speak Up for Free

Your voice on how lab tests are run

If you have ever had bloodwork, a swab, or any medical test, you rely on lab rules you probably never think about. Those rules are called the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments of 1988, or CLIA. They set the standards labs must follow to make sure your test results are accurate.

Now the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) wants to hear from the public. On July 16, 2026, CMS published a Request for Information asking people to share their views on how these lab rules could be updated.

This is not a benefit check or a payment. It is a chance to have your say. And using the official process is completely free.

What CMS is asking about

The lab rules were first put in place in 1992. Testing technology has changed a lot since then. CMS says it wants input on several topics.

Those topics include breath testing, everyday lab processes and procedures, emergency preparedness, biosafety and biosecurity, cybersecurity, and specialty testing areas.

CMS and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) may use the responses to decide what changes, if any, to make. Your comment becomes part of the public record.

Why this matters to everyday people

You do not need to be a doctor or a scientist to comment. Patients, caregivers, and workers all have real experience with lab testing.

Maybe you waited too long for results. Maybe you have thoughts on privacy and cybersecurity for your health data. This is where the government invites that feedback.

The comment period ends 60 days after publication, on September 14, 2026. There is no fee to submit a comment, and no one should ever charge you to do it.

Frequently asked questions

Do I get money for commenting?

No. This is a request for public input, not a payment or benefit. It is a chance to share your views on medical lab testing rules.

Does it cost anything to comment?

No. Submitting a comment through the official Regulations.gov site is completely free. No one should ever charge you to do it.

When is the deadline?

Comments must be received by September 14, 2026, which is 60 days after the notice was published on July 16, 2026.

Will my comment be private?

No. All comments are considered public and will be posted online after the Health and Human Services Department reviews them.