Issues Archive

The most complete archive of clinical and pathology lab industry news available, including issues from 1997 to the present.

Volume XXVI No. 9 – July 1, 2019

In this issue:

MAJOR CHANGES TO ANTHEM’S PATHOLOGY GROUP RELATIONSHIPS include massive cuts of 50-70% in payments. THE DARK REPORT also offers a unique analysis that points to the consequences of another, less-visible change: switching AP groups from its professional services division to its ancillary services division. At the same time, Aetna has decided to end payment to out-of-network pathologists for the professional review of lab tests, which one pathology consulting firm tells TDR could cut some pathology groups’ revenue by as much as $300,000 per year.

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Volume XXVI No. 8 – June 10, 2019

In this issue:

THE U.S. HAS LOST ALMOST 18% of its pathologists since 2007. This means the U.S. has even fewer pathologists than other countries who have already suffered adverse clinical lab quality events. TDR also digs further into what this means for the industry, finding that while salaries and benefits are increasing, higher pay will come with a heavier workload. Also, in a Clinical Lab 2.0 case study, TDR walks readers through the steps Northwell Health took to help improve patient care – and add value – by using its data to identify patients who were undiagnosed or misdiagnosed.

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Volume XXVI No. 7 – May 20, 2019

In this issue:

IT’S ONE THING TO IMAGINE IT, but another thing altogether to actually achieve it: TriCore Reference Labs demonstrates in this DARK REPORT exclusive how it’s actually making money by selling its data and analytics to insurers. Also, nine clinical laboratory associations and groups are working together to convince CMS to correct serious problems with new guidelines for the National Correct Coding Initiative.

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Volume XXVI No. 6 – April 29, 2019

In this issue:

The nation’s largest health insurance provider is set to launch a new preferred laboratory network this summer, and THE DARK REPORT offers news and insights from UnitedHealthCare management on their plans for the PLN. Also, it will be news to many labs that under the new guidelines from the National Correct Coding Initiative, they aren’t being paid for some tests, with denial rates probably ranging from 40 to 100%. TDR talks to a billing expert who says the guidelines affect labs running molecular tests and assays requiring multiple steps.

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Volume XXVI No. 5 – April 8, 2019

In this issue:

IT’S A FIRST FOR THE CLINICAL LAB INDUSTRY – and American industry as a whole. This issue exclusively reveals that after two years of testing, a lab has achieved the first revenue-generating flight of an unmanned drone in the U.S. Now, the lab’s transport of supplies and specimens can safely bypass traffic regularly. Remarkably, the project has involved the cooperation of UPS and both the FAA and state regulators. Also, TDR reports that another government initiative, the National Correct Coding Initiative, has apparently gone awry. Labs could be harmed if they submit claims incorrectly based on the NCCI.

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Volume XXVI No. 4 – March 18, 2019

In this issue:

THE DARK REPORT offers lab executives and pathologists specific guidance on the arduous process of correctly reporting lab test price data to CMS under the new PAMA rules, so that their organizations can avoid CMS’ $10,000-a-day penalties. Also, an intelligence briefing alerts DARK REPORT clients and readers to a major omission by the Office of the Inspector General in the reports it prepares about the implementation of the PAMA statute.

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Volume XXVI No. 3 – February 25, 2019

In this issue:

THE TWO NATIONAL LABORATORIES, LabCorp and Quest, are reporting reduced revenue and operating margins thanks to the PAMA price cuts. At the same time, executives predict higher market share for their companies, and note that as smaller labs fail due to the fee cuts, they’ll be snapped up by larger labs. THE DARK REPORT even extrapolates the devastating financial effects that the PAMA cuts will have on smaller labs, based on the Blood Brothers’ numbers. Also in this issue is an instructive example of a pathology group that gained a prized state contract by focusing its proposal on patient care instead of finances.

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Volume XXVI No. 2 – February 4, 2019

In this issue:

NOW THAT MOST HOSPITALS ARE INCLUDED as applicable laboratories that must report their PAMA private payer lab test price data to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, managers of those labs will benefit from the incisive analysis in this issue of the lessons learned during the 2017 PAMA reporting cycle. THE DARK REPORT further offers recommendations on how labs can do a better job of gathering and reporting their own data to CMS. Also, TDR delivers an exclusive analysis of why the Government Accounting Office’s assertion that CMS will be paying billions more for Part B clinical lab tests is simply wrong.

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Volume XXVI No. 1 – January 14, 2019

In this issue:

LAB ADMINISTRATORS AND PATHOLOGISTS should pay close attention to emerging new disruptive forces outlined in this issue — and their potential to upend the clinical laboratory industry as it exists today. From slashed Medicare prices, to the risk of $10,000-per-day penalties for PAMA price-reporting errors, to narrowing networks, 2019 will be one of the most challenging years facing the clinical lab industry since the early 1990s. At the same time, THE DARK REPORT details five specific strategies from a highly-respected lab industry executive that administrators can leverage to survive and thrive in the storm.

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Volume XXV No. 18 – December 24, 2018

In this issue:

THE NEW YEAR will be a challenging one for clinical labs and pathology groups, based on significant events of the last year. For one: If your hospital is marked under the PAMA law as having “applicable” labs, you’ll be struggling to comply with reporting private payer lab price data. Meanwhile, all labs will face tougher anti-fraud rules, and common pass-through billing practices may prompt private payers to sue. These issues and more are reviewed in this issue, including expert guidance for lab managers on navigating the various minefields.

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