You Be the Expert:
Charging for Lab Services
Published on Thu Aug 01, 2002
Test your knowledge. Determine how you would handle this situation before looking at the box below for the answer.
Question: How should I bill for lab services if the lab picks up the urine specimen? Should I charge the company or the patient? Arizona Subscriber
Answer: CMS considers certain services, such as urine specimen handling, to be "bundled" services. Bundled services are not payable separately, nor should they be billed to Medicare, supplemental insurance or the patient. They are included in another service performed on the same day or any other day. To unbundle would represent a limiting charge violation or an assignment violation on the part of the physician. Code 99000 (Handling and/or conveyance of specimen for transfer from the physician's office to a laboratory) may be used with non-federal payers that recognize this as a separate service. Remember, this code may only be used when you (the provider) have personally delivered the specimen to the lab. $ $ $
