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 | March 11, 2010 - Senate Bill Blocks Physician Fee Cut Until Oct. 1 |
he Senate on March 10 passed legislation that would extend the freeze on the Medicare fee update for pathology and other physician services until Oct. 1. Currently, the fees are frozen at their 2009 levels through March 31, canceling a cut of 21 percent under the Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) formula used to calculate the annual fee update. Unless Congress acts, the cut is scheduled to kick in April 1.
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| March 9, 2010 - SACGHS Finalizes Recommendations on Gene Patents |
Committee will urge HHS Secretary to crack down on gene patent holders that hamper use of patented genes for diagnostic and research purposes.
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| March 10, 2010 - CMS Releases Revised Guidance on EHR Rules |
As promised at the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Advisory Committee (CLIAC) meeting last month, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has released revised interpretive guidance relating to the electronic exchange of laboratory information and further identifying authorized individuals who may receive laboratory test results information.
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| March 4, 2010 - Bio-Reference Continues Women’s Health Offerings With $5.5 Million Purchase of Lenetix Medical Screening |
Long Island-based lab specializes in prenatal and genetic testing
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| March 3, 2010 - Physician Fee Freeze Extended Through March |
Congress has canceled the 21 percent cut in Medicare physician fees that took effect March 1 and extended the freeze on the fee update for one month, to April 1.
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| February 24, 2010 - Agilent Sells Clinical Diagnostics Business |
Hycor Biomedical sold to healthcare-focused private equity firm Linden.
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| February 22, 2010 - New Medicare Billing Codes Issued for HIV Screening |
Three new G codes have been issued by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to bill for HIV screening of Medicare beneficiaries, the latest benefit to be added to the Part B preventive services package.
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| February 12, 2010 - LabCorp’s Q409 Revenues Up 3.4% to $1.16 Billion |
Drugs of abuse testing continues to drag down volume growth
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| February 10, 2010 - CancerGuide Diagnostics Announces LabCorp Deal, Secures $10.5 Million in Private Financing Agreement |
Company headed up by former LabCorp CSO/CMO, Myla Lai-Goldman, M.D.
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| February 10, 2010 - Medco Health Services Acquires DNA Direct |
Medco looks to boost its personalized medicine capabilities with the acquisition of five-year old genetic testing management firm.
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| February 8, 2010 - Illinois Supreme Court Upholds Pathologist PC Billing |
The Illinois Supreme Court has denied a petition to review the recent decision of the Appellate Court of Third Circuit of Illinois to allow professional component billing by pathologists in the Martis v. Pekin Memorial Hospital case.
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| February 5, 2010 - Oral Arguments Heard in Gene Patents Lawsuit |
Both sides in the landmark lawsuit challenging the patenting of human genes have asked a federal court to rule in their favor without a trial. At issue are patents granted to Myriad Genetics and the University of Utah Research Foundation for BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes, which are indicators of hereditary disposition to breast and ovarian cancer.
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| January 28, 2010 - Carilion, Spectrum to Merge to Form Major Lab Company in MidAtlantic and Southern Regions of U.S. |
Annual revenue of new company expected to top $300 million
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| January 27, 2010 - MedPAC Considers Removing Some Lab Tests from In-Office Ancillary Services Exception |
The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) is considering three options for addressing problems results from in the in-office ancillary services exception to the Stark law, including excluding certain services from the exception (such as diagnostic tests that are not usually provided at the same time as the office visit).
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| January 27, 2010 - Supreme Court Upholds Ruling on Forensic Lab Testimony |
The U.S. Supreme Court has dismissed a challenge to its ruling last year that lab analysts and other forensic specialists must be available to testify in person at trials. The court ordered the case, Briscoe v. Virginia, back to state court for further consideration.
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