R. Lewis Dark
Articles by R. Lewis Dark
How Lab Fraud Hurts Hospital Labs, Pathologists
ONCE AGAIN, A HIGH-PROFILE LAB COMPANY faces allegations of fraud and abuse. This time it is True Health Diagnostics of Frisco, Texas. Details of this case were revealed last month when True Health filed a lawsuit in a federal court in Texas against the agencies running the federal M…
Houston Errors Are Every Clinical Pathologist’s Fear
Due to medical errors, three patients died in three Houston hospitals in a short period of time. Each adverse event led to inspections by the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and sanctions as tough as revocation of deemed status for participation in the Medica…
Aetna, Anthem to Pay Pathology Groups Less
TWO OF THE NATION’S LARGER HEALTH INSURERS—AETNA AND ANTHEM— ARE CUTTING WHAT THEY PAY for the professional component of certain clinical and anatomic pathology codes. In its communications with pathology groups about this policy change, Aetna says it will no longer pay for most clinical laborat…
Is the Profession of Anatomic Pathology Shrinking?
Did the number of active pathologists practicing in the United States actually shrink by 17.53% between 2007 and 2017? That is the conclusion of a study published on May 31 by the online Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA). This startling finding is our lead story in this issu…
What’s Coming Next for Anatomic Pathologists?
INTERESTING THINGS ARE UNFOLDING within the profession of anatomic pathology. If the adage of “follow the money” applies to understanding why things happen, then recent events support some surprising conclusions. Take the news reported in this issue of The Dark Report that PathGroup …
“I’m from the Government, and I’m here to help.”
Across the nation, clinical laboratories struggle to correctly interpret and follow the new National Correct Coding Initiative (NCCI) guidelines that took effect on Jan. 1. A financial disaster lies ahead for many labs. “The denials are very high right now and those denials are nationwide,” stat…
What Have We Done for You Lately?
Our Editor-In-Chief just finished the daunting task of confirming 125 speakers for more than 80 sessions for our 24th annual Executive War College on Lab and Pathology Management. It is our biggest conference ever! These facts are significant to you for an important reason. The planning pha…
Is Your Lab Prepared for More Tough Challenges?
THERE IS A NEW FAVORITE WORD WALL STREET ANALYST USE when they want to describe an industry that is going to experience tough times that will make it difficult for companies to grow and remain profitable. That word is “headwinds” and it can aptly be applied to the multiple tough challenges that a…
Wisconsin Provides Peek at Pathology’s Future
BIGGER PATHOLOGY GROUPS AND METROWIDE OR STATEWIDE COVERAGE will be major characteristics in the anatomic pathology profession as healthcare continues to transform in new ways. That is why the reasons for the substantial growth in case volume and revenue at North Shore Pathologists …
In Tough Times, All Labs Need Success Strategies
By any measure, it is tougher today for clinical laboratories and anatomic pathology groups to generate the revenue needed to deliver state-of-the-art diagnostic testing services while remaining financially viable. Four recent trends prove the point. First, every year, the Medicare program and priva…
CURRENT ISSUE
Volume XXXII, No. 7 – May 12, 2025
Economic, Tech changes drive lab concerns, The Dark Report provides insights from the Executive War College speakers about how clinical labs can use business strategies and tactics to handle the new tariffs, future regulations, and artificial intelligence (AI). Also, this issue provides guidance on how labs and pathologists should prepare for payer audits.
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