Dear AMS Member:

Battling for equal pay for equal work and for a flexible, sensible career ladder continue to be top priorities for AMS. While AMS supports licensure, it opposes restrictive licensure laws that do not include an alternate route to a four-year college degree for licensure as a medical technologist.

AMS monitors states for restrictive licensure bills and responds as needed when a bill is introduced. Restrictive licensure bills introduced in South Carolina and Minnesota in 2014 were successfully opposed. In 2015, licensure bills have been introduced in Massachussettes, North Carolina and Texas. Similar bills may be introduced in other states: Alaska, Delaware, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Louisiana, Michigan, Missouri, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. Please alert the AMS office if such a bill is introduced in your state.

Of the twelve states that require MTs and MLTs to pass a certifying or licensure examination, eleven recognize the AAB Board of Registry examinations: California, Florida, Georgia, Nevada, Hawaii, Montana, Louisiana, North Dakota, Rhode Island, Tennessee, and West Virginia. In addition, the State of Florida recognizes the AAB Board of Registry’s Medical Technologist (MT) examinations in the disciplines of chemistry, hematology, immunology, immunohematology, and microbiology, as well as andrology, embryology, and molecular diagnostics.

AMS is working closely with the American Association of Bioanalysts (AAB) and the National Independent Laboratory Association (NILA) to oppose reductions to Medicare’s Part B Clinical Laboratory Fee Schedule (CLFS), which can result in cuts to laboratory services and jobs.

In addition to monitoring and responding to federal and state legislative and regulatory issues, AMS offers a variety of other membership benefits, including a FREE online CEU recording system. Update your CEU records online and view/print a transcript of your CEU records.

Subscribe to the FREE daily News Clips service available to AMS members via email from AAB’s Proficiency Testing Service (PTS). Each daily News Clips contains a short list of news headlines related to laboratory testing, followed by a brief description and link to more information. If you are not receiving News Clips, please forward your email address to ams@aab.org, attention: Shannon Hood, to begin your FREE subscription.

Mark your calendar for AAB's 60th Anniversary Conference, May 12-14, 2016, at the Red Rock Resort in Las Vegas. Don't miss this special celebration and opportunity to earn CEUs and network with colleagues. Visit www.aab.org for more information.

Earn CEUs, study for certification exams, and update and add to your knowledge, all at your convenience, using AAB’s online courses: NEW! PER Hematology, Immunohematology, Immunology and Serology, Microbiology, and Molecular Diagnostics Online Reviews available individually or in a package. Additional AAB online courses include PER Chemistry Review, PER Basic Knowledge Review, and AAB’s Andrology and Embryology Review Course. Visit www.aab.org for details and ordering information.

We hope that you will continue to use AAB’s website, publications, educational programs, and conferences to obtain information, sharpen your skills, gain new ideas, and make valuable contacts with other members.

2015 Membership Renewal Information

Renew your 2015 membership/certification online through AAB’s secure payment site and receive your certificate(s) faster, help AAB cut expenses and save natural resources. Visit www.aab.org and log in to your account using your username and password or contact the AAB Associate Member Section office at (314)241-1445 for assistance.

You can also update your membership profile, register for AAB conferences/seminars, keep up-to-date with AAB’s Special Interest Groups, purchase AAB publications and products, submit your CEUs, view/print your CEU transcript, and access other activities restricted to AMS members online through AAB’s website.

2015 Dues Increase

In 2001, thirteen years ago, registrant class (MT and MLT) dues were $90. Updating just for inflation since 2001, registrant class dues would equal $121 in today’s dollars. [The regular class dues of $70 in 2001 equal $94 in 2014 dollars, and the Physician Office Laboratory Technician (POLT) dues of $55 in 2001 equal $74 in 2014 dollars.]

Over the past thirteen years, AMS has increased dues just once, in 2006, and only by $5 (from $90 to $95 for registrant class, from $70 to $75 for regular class, and from $55 to $60 for POLTs.

During the economic downturn that began in 2007/2008, the AMS Board pledged not to increase dues again until the economy improved. And the Board has honored that pledge.

But in order to continue to provide you with quality membership services, the AMS Board of Directors decided to modestly increase AMS’s 2015 dues to correct for inflation, at least partially, over the past 10 years. The 2015 dues are as follows:

Note that the new dues are still below the amount needed to fully correct for inflation.

In addition, your AMS invoice includes a minimum $1 contribution to each of the following three funds (to which you can “add to” or “opt-out”):

• AAB’s David Birenbaum Scholarship Fund – Hundreds of scholarships have been awarded over the years to AAB/AMS members, children, spouses, and grandchildren. This suggested contribution is being added to improve and increase AAB’s valuable scholarship program and to provide at least some financial assistance to students and new laboratorians who wish to attend AAB’s educational conferences and programs.

And, as an extra incentive, an anonymous donor has agreed to match, dollar for dollar, any Scholarship Fund contributions over $5 (up to an aggregate of $5,000). Please help us “Pay it Forward” by making a generous contribution to AAB’s Scholarship Fund.

• Reitman/Erskine Development Fund – This fund is used to support special projects and programs.

• Associate Member Section Legal/Defense Fund – This fund is used to advocate for fair and flexible personnel licensure laws/regulations.

Thank you for your continuing support! Your AMS membership and active participation in the work of this association is greatly valued. If you have any questions, please contact the AAB office.

Sincerely yours, 

Mark S. Birenbaum, Ph.D.
Administrator

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