Apr 22, 2013 | Coding, Billing, and Collections, Laboratory Management and Operations, Laboratory News, Laboratory Operations, Laboratory Pathology, Managed Care Contracts & Payer Reimbursement
Columnist Steve Gottlieb, M.D., wrote that “This sort of bungling may be without precedent, even for the Medicare agency”
Since the beginning of the year, most Medicare contractors and private health insurers have not paid clinical laboratories and anatomic pathology practices for molecular diagnostic test claims coded to the 114 new molecular test CPT codes.
This unprecedented situation of labs going unpaid for more than three months has created financial turmoil and uncertainty across the medical laboratory profession. In fact, the question must be asked: Did Forbes columnist Scott Gottlieb, M.D., wake up the nation’s Medicare contractors with his column published on March 27? (more…)
Nov 15, 2011 | Laboratory News, Laboratory Pathology, Managed Care Contracts & Payer Reimbursement
Registry for genetic tests and molecular diagnostic assays is one step in process to assess the science and clinical utility
Clinical laboratory and pathologists have dozens of questions about the proposed draft local coverage determinations (LCDs) that Medicare carrier Palmetto GBA issued on September 28. The draft LCDs represent Palmetto GBA’s efforts to identify the growing number of laboratory-developed molecular diagnostic assays and genetic tests.
In an exclusive interview with Dark Daily, Palmetto Medical Director Elaine Jeter, M.D., and Palmetto Vice President Mike Barlow explained the need for the new LCDs and offered insight into the process Palmetto GBA is developing to create a molecular test registry and a coverage determination and reimbursement process. This is an important development for the clinical laboratory industry. (more…)
