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…)
Apr 4, 2011 | Digital Pathology, Laboratory News, Laboratory Pathology
Experts at National Comprehensive Cancer Network conference voice opinions
It may surprise many pathologists and clinical laboratory managers to learn that a number of prominent healthcare leaders recently voiced significant reservations about the current status of molecular genetics testing. In their view, clinical pathology laboratory testing that incorporates genetic and molecular technologies needs further refinement, improved billing codes, and additional regulation before it can fulfill its potential to be a precise diagnostic tool.
That was the conclusion reached by a panel of distinguished physicians representing healthcare organizations, pharmaceutical giants, insurance companies, and the government at this year’s annual National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) conference.
(more…)
