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This biweekly newsletter provides concise, independent coverage and analysis of fast-breaking lab, pathology, blood banking, imaging and diagnostic radiology news from the Nation's Capital.
You'll find out about:
- Medicare payment and policy directives Billing guidelines and coding changes for diagnostic facilities
- CLIA & MQSA regulatory mandates, changes and interpretations
- Congressional actions & legislative initiatives
- Federal compliance requirements
- OIG anti-fraud initiatives
- Stark self-referral prohibitions
Plus you will get other legal news regarding FDA oversight of in vitro diagnostics, blood banks, and radiological devices OSHA, NRC, and state safety standards.
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 | NIR October 22, 2007 (full PDF issue) |
| Check out the new G2 Web site
Congressional Watch: Another late-inning stretch for unfinished lab, pathology business: see Focus
—Blocking Medicare physician fee cut
—Repealing bidding demo for Part B independent lab services
—Paying for Part B lab services: alternatives urged to current lab fee schedule
Preview of likely Medicare fees for lab codes added to the 2008 fee schedule
Most hospitals get full market-basket update for reporting quality data
Tune up your chargemaster for 2008: G2 audio conference on key lab/pathology coding, billing & reimbursement changes
Full Article |
| Congress Says ‘Go Slow’ on Genetic Test Oversight |
| Included in the reauthorization bill for the Food & Drug Admin-istration user fee program signed into law September 27 is a provision that requires additional administrative steps in tackling the sensitive issue of federal regulation of genetic testing.
Full Article |
| It’s Make or Break Time to Stop Medicare Lab Bidding Demo |
| The lab lobbying campaign to repeal Medicare’s planned competitive bidding demonstration for Part B lab services gained new urgency now that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has announced the next steps in its plan to move ahead with the controversial pilot.
Full Article |
| For Lab, Pathology Priorities on Capitol Hill, It’s Down to the Wire Again This Year |
| Immediate concerns such as blocking a physician fee cut in 2008 and repealing the lab competitive bidding demonstration topped the Medicare policy agenda at Lab Institute 2007, convened by Washington G-2 Reports/IOMA on October 10-13 in Arlington, VA.
Full Article |
| Diagnosis Coding News |
| Congress last year failed to enact a provision mandating a quick switch from the current ICD-9 diagnosis coding system to the next version, ICD-10, but the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is moving ahead to prepare for an eventual transition. Medicare currently requires ICD-9 codes on lab claims in order for the claims to be paid.
Full Article |
| Medicare Lab Fee Schedule Preview |
| At press time, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services had yet to officially announce its tentative fee determinations for new CPT/HCPCS lab test codes to be added to the 2008 Medicare lab fee schedule, effective January 1.
Full Article |
| Most Hospitals Get Full Pay Hike for Reporting Quality Data |
| The vast majority of hospitals will receive a full payment increase of 3.3% in fiscal 2008 because they voluntarily reported on certain quality measures and met the requirements associated with these measures, Kerry Weems, acting administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, announced earlier this month. "Medicare payment must encourage efficient care, rather than reimbursement based on the quantity of services and resources used," he said.
Full Article |
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