Since 1995, Reliable Business Intelligence for Clinical Laboratories, Pathology Groups and Laboratory Diagnostics

Volume XXIII No. 4 - March 21, 2016

UnitedHealthcare Warns Labs: Don’t Waive Patient Fees

TDR Insider / By Joseph Burns

This article is an excerpt from a 1,500-word article in the March 21 issue of THE DARK REPORT. Full details of UHC’s battle against out-of-network labs, as well as its plans to begin requiring pre-authorization for genetic testing, are included in the original article, available to paid members. IN ITS LATEST NETWORK BULLETIN, UnitedHealthcare warned out-of-net- …

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At FDA, Laboratory-Developed Tests Are in the Crosshairs

TDR Insider / By Mary Van Doren

This article is an excerpt from a 600-word article in the March 21 issue of THE DARK REPORT. Full details of FDA’s laboratory-developed test guidance and recent actions against labs that are marketing LDTs are included in the original article, available to paid members. The Food and Drug Administration claims that clinical laboratories are marketing their (LDTs) laboratory-developed tests – which make …

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A Pantheon of Greatest Lab Physician-Businessmen

Commentary and Opinion by R. Lewis Dark / By R. Lewis Dark

WHEN IT COMES TO THE CLINICAL LABORATORY BUSINESS, generally included in the lab industry’s Pantheon of Greatest Physician (Pathologist) Businessmen are Paul A. Brown, MD, and James B. Powell, MD. I’d like to nominate another physician to this list: Marc D. Grodman, MD. During the 1970s and 1980s, Brown and Powell—both pathologists— founded and led …

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Understanding the Future Of Laboratory Medicine

Clinical Laboratory Trends / By Robert Michel

CEO SUMMARY: Healthcare’s transformation is now far enough along that most clinical labs and pathology groups are either feeling the financial pain or are excitedly developing ways to deliver more value from lab testing services. On April 26-27, at the 21st annual Executive War College on Lab and Pathology Management, expert speakers will address how …

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Grodman Resigns from BRLI, New President Is Henderson

Clinical Laboratory / By Joseph Burns

THERE IS A NEW LEADER at Bio-Reference Laboratories, Inc., now owned by OPKO Health, Inc., of Miami, Florida. Last week, Gregory Henderson, MD, PhD, was named as President of BRLI. Henderson takes over from Marc Grodman, MD, who resigned after serving as Chairman, President, and CEO of Bio-Reference Laboratories since 1981, a company he founded …

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UPMC-KingMed Digital Pathology Venture Improves Patient Care

Anatomic Pathology / By Joseph Burns

CEO SUMMARY: Many experts think that digital pathology will make it possible to create international pathology subspecialty referral networks. Now in its fifth year, a partnership between UPMC’s Pathology Department and KingMed Diagnostics of China uses telepathology to give Chinese patients access to the subspecialist pathologists at UPMC. KingMed’s case referrals to UPMC rose from …

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UnitedHealthcare Warns Labs Not to Waive Patient Fees

Laboratory Billing / By Joseph Burns

CEO SUMMARY: UnitedHealthcare directly tackled the issue of out-of-network labs waiving or capping copayments, coinsurance and deductibles that are to be paid by patients. In a network bulletin this month, UHC said that such arrangements may violate federal law and could lead to state insurance department investigations into false claims. In the same bulletin to …

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FDA Steps Up Test Enforcement, Saying Tests Need Clearance

Laboratory Compliance / By Joseph Burns

THIS MONTH, AT LEAST THREE CLINICAL LABORATORY DIRECTORS got letters from the Food and Drug Administration raising questions about assays for the Zika virus. The letters say the tests appear to meet the FDA’s definition of a medical device and thus are subject to premarket clearance, approval, or Emergency Use Authorization. In the letters sent …

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Lab CEO Sees Three Trends Cutting Volume, Revenue

Clinical Laboratory Trends / By Joseph Burns

CEO SUMMARY: Following the sale of his hospital lab outreach business to a national lab company, former CEO James Fantus told THE DARK REPORT about the significant trends he saw unfolding in the Northeast. They include: a shrinking number of physician customers for labs; a rising number of patients with high-deductible health plans, resulting in …

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March 21, 2016 Intelligence: Late Breaking Lab News

Late Breaking Lab News / By Robert Michel

Tougher times in the clinical lab testing market have claimed another lab company. On February 28, Artherotech, Inc., posted a notice on its website stating that it had closed permanently, as of that date. Along with its several hundred employees, Artherotech’s closure caught many lab executives by surprise. Founded in 1994, during the heyday of closed-panel …

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