The medicare price for 88161 is 7.70.  These prices are from 1998.

> ----------
> From: 	MacDonald, Jennifer
> Sent: 	Friday, November 19, 1999 2:54 PM
> To: 	'Geoff McAuliffe'; Priscilla; 'Carson, Karla'
> Cc: 	histonet@pathology.swmed.edu
> Subject: 	RE: Fair Market Prices
>
> The technical compentent Medicare allowable prices are:
>   88108  $9.17
>   88305  $19.81
> I don't have the price for 88161 handy.  88160 is $6.60.
> Hope this helps
>
> Jennifer MacDonald
> (909)985-2811 extentison 4148
>
> 	----------
> 	From: 	Carson, Karla[SMTP:KCarson@chw.edu]
> 	Sent: 	Wednesday, November 17, 1999 12:32 PM
> 	To: 	'Geoff McAuliffe'; Priscilla
> 	Cc: 	histonet@pathology.swmed.edu
> 	Subject: 	RE: Fair Market Prices
>
> 	When I asked my original question, I was more concerned about
> Medicare
> 	reimbursement and if they actually state a minimum charge that must
> be
> 	charged?  I was told by a reference lab they had to charge a minimum
> amount
> 	per specimen. They said Medicare would not let them charge less.  I
> was not
> 	looking for prices for us to charge as much as how to find out what
> Medicare
> 	charges are required.  I have since called Washington and they have
> a book
> 	for sale for around $275.00.  I am interested in the TECHNICAL FEE
> for CPT
> 	CODES 88108, 88161, and 88305.  Does anyone know what the Medicare
> 	reimbursement is for these three CPT codes?  Thanks
>
> 	Karla Carson HT/HTL (ASCP)
> 	Regional Pathology Supervisor
> 	Mercy Health Care Sacramento
> 	916-453-4494
> 	e-mail kcarson@chw.edu <mailto:kcarson@chw.edu>
>
> 			-----Original Message-----
> 			From:	Geoff McAuliffe [mailto:mcauliff@UMDNJ.EDU]
> 			Sent:	Wednesday, November 17, 1999 7:43 AM
> 			To:	Priscilla
> 			Cc:	histonet@pathology.swmed.edu
> 			Subject:	Re: Fair Market Prices
>
> 			Priscilla wrote:
>
> 			> In the past, I was under the impression that
> sharing
> 	prices was akin to
> 			> price fixation and that was taboo.  I'm sure
> others have
> 	had that
> 			> impression and is probably why people are not
> sharing
> 	their prices.  Also I
> 			> was under the impression that different areas of
> the
> 	country have
> 			> adjustments in pricing according to cost of living
> etc.
>
> 			    There is also talk (and accusations) of "price
> fixing"
> 	on the Microscopy
> 			Soc. of America list. Often someone will ask "how
> much does
> 	your lab charge for
> 			XY proceedure" and a few people will scream "price
> fixing".
> 	I have no legal
> 			training but I do think some common sense is called
> for. We
> 	do have free speech
> 			in this country, inquiring about a price  is not a
> crime. I
> 	can set prices
> 			wherever I want for the services I provide.
> Furthermore, I
> 	don't think putting
> 			the two together is a crime. The next time someone
> makes the
> 	price fixing
> 			accusation I would like to see an exact quote
> (chapter and
> 	verse from the penal
> 			code) of just what price fixing is. I suspect that
> the
> 	accusers are just trying
> 			to supress competition.
> 			    I notice that a pound of ground beef costs about
> the
> 	same at all of the
> 			supermarkets in my neighborhood. Price fixing??
>
> 			Geoff
> 			--
> 			**********************************************
> 			Geoff McAuliffe, Ph.D.
> 			Neuroscience and Cell Biology
> 			Robert Wood Johnson Medical School
> 			675 Hoes Lane, Piscataway, NJ 08854
> 			voice: (732)-235-4583; fax: -4029
> 			mcauliff@umdnj.edu
> 			**********************************************
>
>
>
>
>
>