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Medicare Taken to Task about Molecular Test Pricing Method

EDITOR’S NOTE: Submitted by Lâle White, CEO of XIFIN, Inc., of Carlsbad, California, this letter describes the problems caused by the Medicare program’s failure, as of January 1, 2013, to be ready to process and reimburse lab test claims for more than 100 new mo…

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How CMS ‘Mismanaged’ Pricing of Molecular Tests

CEO SUMMARY: CMS and its contractors had ample opportunity to implement a new reimbursement system but failed to act in a timely manner, stated an expert familiar with the problem. The result is that laboratories, particularly those that have one or two proprietary molecular tests, are be…

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Payers Bolix MDx Codes, Labs Unpaid for Months

CEO SUMMARY: Clinical laboratories complain that implementation of a new payment system for molecular tests has been a disaster since January 1. Most contractors for the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services have not paid labs for molecular tests billed thi…

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Palmetto’s Prostate Biopsy Policy Removed after Talks with CMS

THERE IS SOME POSITIVE LAB INDUSTRY NEWS that has not been widely reported yet. It involves a decision to change an unwelcome Medicare policy that limited the number of prostate biopsy specimens per case that would be reimbursed. After discussions between lab industry groups and the federal …

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February 11, 2013 “Intelligence: Late Breaking Lab News”

Would it surprise you to learn that just five organizations control 91% of California’s health insurance market? At the top of the list is Kaiser Permanente, which holds a 40% share of the California market. Following, in order, were Anthem Blue Cross (23%), …

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ACO Numbers Increase, Now Cover 10% of Nation

CEO SUMMARY: A recent report by a consulting firm that tracks the ACO industry indicates that, as of the end of 2012, ACOs of all types involved—in some manner—between 25 and 31 million patients. Moreover, Medicare and private ACOs are located in regions where 45% of the population of…

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Low 2013 Molecular Rates May Bankrupt Some Labs

CEO SUMMARY: Many of the recently issued reimbursement rates for molecular diagnostic tests are inadequate and in fact are lower than the cost of running the tests, lab experts say. Smaller laboratories that specialize in developing and selling molecular tests could be forced to close. As…

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Anticipating 2013 Trends in Clinical Lab and Pathology

CEO SUMMARY: Biggest news for 2013 will the impact of significant price cuts for both clinical lab and anatomic pathology testing services. But the bad news doesn’t stop there. Employers and private payers will be more aggressive in taking steps to reduce what they spend on lab testing….

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2012’s Top Ten Lab Stories Predict More Challenges

CEO SUMMARY: It’s been a year with more lows than highs, when viewed through the lens of THE DARK REPORT’S “Top Ten Lab Stories of 2012.” The end of the TC grandfather clause, new policies for prostate biopsy billing, and a dramatic 52% cut to 88305- TC fees were widely reported. …

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December 31, 2012 “Intelligence: Late Breaking Lab News”

It is likely that the latest lab acquisition by Bio-Reference Laboratories, Inc. (BRLI) is for the purpos…

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