On 23 July, ASM submitted comments to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) regarding its draft Revised State Operations Manual, Appendix C-Survey Procedures and Interpretive Guidelines for Laboratories and Laboratory Services. The Interpretive Guidelines clarify and explain Federal requirements for laboratories under the Clinical Laboratory Improvements Amendments (CLIA). All CLIA surveyors are required to use the guidelines when assessing laboratory performance. Of note was the inclusion of the new CMS policy to allow for streamlined quality control for commercial microbiology identification systems in the revised guidelines. The Public and Scientific Affairs Board Committees on Laboratory Practices and Professional Affairs reviewed the draft guidelines and provided feedback, which was incorporated into ASM's comments to the CMS CLIA program. Please contact the ASM Office of Public Affairs at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it for a copy of ASM's comments.