Pathology/Lab Coding Alert

Question: I noticed that a reader question from July implied that you can separately bill for validation when performing drug screening. Is this correct?

Oregon Subscriber

Answer: You should not separately bill for validation for a drug screening test. Validation involves testing to ensure that the specimen is urine, as well as using protocols to ensure that the urine specimen came from the patient. None of these services are separately billable — validation is included in test allowance for drug screens.

Common tests to ensure that the lab has a urine specimen might include urinalysis (81003, Urinalysis, by dip stick or tablet reagent for bilirubin, glucose, hemoglobin, ketones, leukocytes, nitrite, pH, protein, specific gravity, urobilinogen, any number of these constituents; automated, without microscopy) or creatinine (82570, Creatinine; other source) and pH (83986QW — pH; body fluid, not otherwise specified).

The original question you’re referring to is “Beware Units for Drug Tests” published in Pathology/Lab Coding Alert Vol. 14 No. 8. The answer assumed that a physician ordered specific tests in addition to drug screen testing. But validation tests for drug screens to ensure that you’re analyzing a urine specimen are not separately billable.