Mickie,

We take it literally and bill micro-organisms under 88312 and all other
stains except immunos and cytochemical stains under 88313.

I think the CPT code book makes it clear that even the silver stains should
be billed under 88312.

Good luck.
Marg

Marjorie Hagerty, H.T.(ASCP)H.T.L., Q IHC
Supervisor, Anatomic Pathology
Eisenhower Medical Center
39-000 Bob Hope Drive
Rancho Mirage, CA 92270



-----Original Message-----
From: johnsom@shmc.org [mailto:johnsom@shmc.org]
Sent: Tuesday, December 14, 1999 10:23 AM
To: 'HistoNet Server' (E-mail)
Subject: Billing Special Stains under CPT Codes 88312 & 88313


Hi Everyone,
Hope your holidays have been great!

I have a question about which special stains can be billed out on CPT codes
88312 and 88313.  The CPT code book gives a couple of examples of stains for
each CPT code, with the examples for 88312 being stains for organisms.  I
have talked with a couple of labs, each of which interprets things
differently.  One bills out all organism stains under 88312 and all the
other stains under 88313. The other lab (as I do) bills out simple stains
under 88312 including PAS, Iron and mucicarminei, and uses 88313 for all
complex or expensive stains including Trichrome, Dieterle, Steiner, GMS,
etc.  I can find no list of special stains in the spt code book and which
code to use for each.  In these times of Medicare fraud being prosecuted so
much and fines so high, everyone is paranoid about these types of billing
issues for Medicare billing in particular.

Any help anyone can provide would be appreciated.  I will be glad to share
the answers with all histonet subscribers.

Thanks so much.

Mickie

Michael L Johnson, BS, HTL(ASCP)
Histology Supervisor
Department of Pathology
Sacred Heart Medical Center
W. 101 8th Avenue
Spokane, WA 99220

(509) 474-4418
johnsom@shmc.org