Question:
Florida Subscriber
Answer:
No, Medicare should pay for the service if the patient hasn't had a recent blood draw elsewhere for the same diagnosis. Continue to report 36415 (Collection of venous blood by venipuncture). Include a supporting diagnosis that relates to the lab test for which the blood is being drawn, such as hypertension (401-405, Hypertensive disease) or high cholesterol (such as 272.0, Disorders of lipoid metabolism; pure hypercholesterolemia). Include the patient's usual physician as the referring doctor.