Hi Mickie,

My interpretation has always been to bill organism stains under group I,
(cpt 88312) and all others under group II, (cpt 88313) the same as what is
done for capturing CAP workload recording.

Many are not using CAP workload recording now but the interpretation is the
same for billing as for capturing workload.  It may not make sense in the
world of costs and time to perform, but when CAP workload recording was
established, it was supposedly set up on the time it takes for the
interpretation of the preparations by the Pathologists.

One might argue that point, but that's the way I have understood the
thinking of the originators.   Once again, as with many Histological
procedures, the Technical (Hospital) Component does not seem to have been
considered.

Don Hammer, Retired Guy

----- Original Message -----
From: Mickie L. Johnson <johnsom@shmc.org>
To: 'HistoNet Server' (E-mail) <HistoNet@pathology.swmed.edu>
Sent: Tuesday, December 14, 1999 10:22 AM
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
>
>
>