Joyce,

our compliance department here advised me that we would be found non-compliant if we attempted to charge the patient for this service as they view the expense as bundled with our drg reimbursement rate.I have no idea if this position is sound but like you, I felt that we should be able to recover our expense for this service. Bottom line, I was told that we can't do that. I was also told that we cannot charge for duplicate slides to be prepared as the bx is the patient's who is therefore entitled to these slides. If you want to keep duplicates in your file, you do so at your expense.

 

 We do require the patient or the patient's consulting doc to pay the fedex charges in the scenario where the "slide review" is prompted by the patient or patient's doc.

 

 

 

Vinnie Della Speranza
Manager for Anatomic Pathology Services
Medical University of South Carolina
165 Ashley Avenue  Suite 309
Charleston, SC 29425
Ph: 843-792-6353
fax: 843-792-8974

>>> "Weems, Joyce" <JWEEMS@sjha.org> 07/01/02 04:24PM >>>
We've probably addressed this before, but I'm having so many extended senior
moments lately, I don't recall.

Do any of you charge a handling fee for sending "Slide Review" cases out at
patient, clinician request - (not a consult)? We are having so many requests
lately, my pathologist thought it might be feasible to charge. Before I say
there is not a CPT code to cover this, I wanted to ask the community - O ye
wise ones...

Thanks much, j:>)

Joyce Weems
Pathology Manager
Saint Joseph's Hospital of Atlanta
404-851-7376
404-851-7831 - fax