National Intelligence Report
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 other legal news FDA oversight of in vitro diagnostics, blood banks, and radiological devices OSHA, NRC, and state safety standards.
3/15/10 - Table of Contents
The 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.…
Three new G codes have been established 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 Medicare preventive services package.
The new codes are to be implemented April 5 for dates of service on and after Dec. 8, 2009, the date when CMS announced its final decision to cover this screening for beneficiaries at increased risk of HIV infection…
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has postponed until Jan. 3, 2011, the implementation of a policy to reject Medicare claims from Part B providers and suppliers when the ordering/referring physician or nonphysician practitioner is not enrolled in the agency’s Provider Enrollment, Chain, and Ownership System (PECOS) database. The agency had intended to introduce the policy on April 5 of this year (NIR, 09, 22/Dec. 14, p. 8). …
In our Feb. 22 issue, we reported that release of new interpretive guidelines was imminent to help clinical laboratories align their use of health information technology, including electronic health records (EHRs), with their responsibilities under the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA).
Now, the guidelines are out. They revise CLIA regulatory standards governing test ordering, reporting of test results, and retention of test reports. They also add a new section on managing the correction of test reports…
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