Medicare Compliance & Reimbursement

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You'll have five lab codes that you'll be able to report as "CLIA-waived," thanks to a Dec. 19 CMS transmittal on the matter.

According to Transmittal 1652, CMS will now consider these five tests CLIA-waived effective last week (Jan. 1). You'll have to append modifier QW (CLIA-waived test) to these codes, which include the following:

• 83036-QW -- DCA Vantage analyzer

• 81003-QW -- OneStepPlus urine analyzer

• 82274-QW/G0328QW -- Fecal occult blood tests

• 80101-QW -- Home check multiple drug cup test

• 83986-QW -- VA-SENSE kit.

To read the full list of CLIA-waived tests, visit the CMS Web site at www.cms.hhs.gov/transmittals/downloads/R1652CP.pdf.