Wiki Lab Billing/lab performed at the office but sent to outside lab

[Sandra Roberts]

Patient presents to the office has a procedure that has labs that was sent out to an outside lab. Who needs to charge for the labs draw or the obtaining of the lab. This is something new to our department that we have uncovered. Thanks in advance.

 

[Cavalier40]

The clinical lab will bill for the actual procedure, although the Dr can bill for the professional component with a 26 modifier. As far a the venupuncture goes, that is usually inclusive with the e/m code. If you are collecting a urine drug screen that has visual presumptive result which gets sent to the lab for a definitive result, then you can bill for the presumptive test (usually applies to drug screens)

hope this helps