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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 April 23, 2007 (full PDF issue) |
| Lab testing measures to monitor diabetes detailed in 2007 Physician Quality Reporting Initiative
Congressional scorecard on key lab & pathology legislation, see Focus
—CLIA cytology PT
—Genetic testing nondiscrimination
—Federal oversight of genetic testing
—Lab personnel training
—Pathology ‘grandfather’ protection
Joining the salute to National Medical Lab Professionals Week
Lab bidding demo: Latest word from CMS
Lab lobbying blitz: Follow-up on AAB
Full Article |
| Industry Dodges the Bullet, for Now, on Lab-Developed Tests |
| To the relief of clinical laboratory and pathology groups, the FDA user fee reauthorization bill (S. 1082) that the Senate HELP Committee approved April 18 did not include controversial provisions requiring premarket review of lab-developed tests (LDTs).
Full Article |
| CMS Discloses More Details on NPI Compliance Policy |
| Following announcement earlier this month of a contingency period for HIPAA-covered entities that cannot meet the May 23 deadline to comply with National Provider Identifier (NPI) requirements, CMS followed up on April 18 with a roundtable conference call to spell out specifics on what these entities should be doing to reach compliance.
Full Article |
| CMS Gears Up for New Medicare Quality Reporting Program |
| On July 1, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services plans to launch the 2007 Physician Quality Reporting Initiative (PQRI), which will provide a bonus payment (1.5%, subject to a cap) to eligible physicians and other practitioners who voluntarily report a designated set of quality care measures on their Medicare fee-for-service claims. The bonus payment period, authorized by the Tax Relief & Health Care Act of 2006, runs from July 1 through December 31, 2007.
Full Article |
| Congressional Scorecard on Major Pending Bills |
| With Congress back in business after its two-week April spring break, here’s a quick guide to the status of major legislation affecting clinical laboratories and pathologists that awaits action in the House and the Senate.
Full Article |
| Follow-Up on the ‘Lab Lobbying Blitz’ |
| In our report last month on the March 19-20 lab lobbying blitz, we cited various organizations that participated, but failed to mention similar efforts by the American Association of Bioanalysts on March 15.
Full Article |
| CMS Updates Lab Coalition on Medicare Bidding Demo |
| As we go to press, the broad-based Clinical Laboratory Coalition just received an answer from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to its request for information on the status of the Part B competitive bidding demonstration for independent laboratory services. The project has been stalled for many months awaiting clearance from the Office of Management & Budget, CMS officials have repeatedly noted.
Full Article |
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