Don,
I agree completely.  As long as the billing workshop is not scheduled
during mine because I want to attend.  (Thats assuming that my workshop
will be accepted)
Janice Mahoney
Methodist Hospital, Omaha, NE


At 12:44 PM 11/24/98 -0800, D. Hammer wrote:
>Joyce,
>
>In a perfect world, the consulting pathologist will get permission from
>the refering institution to run additional special or immunos.  As a
>matter of fact,the consultant needs to have a record of the order from
>your institution in order to be "legal" in their billing. (if they bill
>insurance companies)
>
>We have the same problem here, but more so, we are remiss in getting the
>permission from the refering institution and giving them info to bill
>with.  We do alot of direct insurance billing as opposed to billing the
>institution, but that will change with the Medicare patients.  We are
>working on the staff getting permission to run additionaals.
>
>Don't you think, as I do, that NSH should have Dennis Padget (Padget
>Associates) give a half or all day workshop on Pathology billing.  People
>would be amazed at how complex it is and how many things are not done
>correctly.  My god, there are still people billing for slides and/or
>blocks.
>
>Don
>
>
>
>
>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>Don Hammer, Administrative Director            UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON
>Hospital Pathology, Box 356100                     MEDICAL CENTER
>1995 NE Pacific St.
>Seattle Washington, 98195                  ~Where Knowledge Comes To Life~
>(206) 548-6401 Fax: (206) 548-4928
>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>
>
>On Tue, 24 Nov 1998, Weems, Joyce wrote:
>
>> Hi Margarie and all!
>> I have been mulling over this billing thing for over a year and am still
>> confused!!! I have asked our legal department about it and they are
>> confused!!!
>>
>> Our biggest problem has been with consults, which is what I am trying to
>> change. If we send out consults and bill the patient from our
>> institution, we often incur more charges when the consulting pathologist
>> does additional  special stains or immunos. We then can not collect
>> those charges, because it has been too long past the date of service.
>> Now, granted, the biggest problem is with Medicare, (our census is ~65%
>> Medicare!), but insurance companies are also beginning investigations so
>> that everything is under scrutiny. The problem is that Medicare charges
>> FRAUD instead of error!
>>
>> I am looking forward to what answers we are going to come with!
>>
>> HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE!
>> Joyce
>>
>> >----------
>> >From: 	Hagerty, Marjorie A.[SMTP:mhagerty@emc.org]
>> >Sent: 	Monday, November 23, 1998 8:18 PM
>> >To: 	Histonet
>> >Subject: 	Medicare Billing
>> >
>> >
>> >Hi Everyone,
>> >
>> >After reading Joyce Weem's explanation concerning medicare billing
>> >requirements, I find myself very confused. I am, however, less confused
than
>> >I was before I read it! I am beginning to think that I am making some
>> >illegal billing decisions. (Oh, no!)
>> >
>> >My question is this - Where can I find out more information on this? What
>> >can I read?
>> >Is anyone willing to explain this to me in a phone conversation? Joyce?
Any
>> >billing experts?
>> >
>> >All help and direction will be greatly appreciated. I don't want all
>> >reference laboratories to bill us because I know we will lose money. I
would
>> >like to have the reference laboratory bill whenever it is legal.
>> >
>> >Marg
>> >Rancho Mirage, CA, USA
>> >mhagerty@emc.org
>> >
>> >
>>
>>
>
>
>