Hi Karla,

It sounds as tho you work for a hospital.  The book you refer to gives
Medicare info for all services and is a waste of your patient revenue to
purchase it.  May I suggest that you contact your hospital billing
department...I bet they can give you the info on the cpt code series 88  for
Pathology.  Your billing department should be and probably are the billing
experts and could, should help you.  Bet their just a few digets away on
your phone.  *smile*  Can be frustrating to try to figure out all "the
stuff" on your own and still stay within the laws.  Medicare fraud is a
biggie nowaDAZE, a huge maze, and not knowing the rules constitutes fraud in
the minds of Medicare.

Don Hammer, Retired Guy

----- Original Message -----
From: Carson, Karla <KCarson@chw.edu>
To: 'Geoff McAuliffe' <mcauliff@UMDNJ.EDU>; Priscilla <pdelvent@wyoming.com>
Cc: <histonet@pathology.swmed.edu>
Sent: Wednesday, November 17, 1999 10:32 AM
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
> **********************************************
>
>
>
>
>
>