aamedee92
New
We collect urine samples for cultures and send them off to a lab for the test results. Is there a way to bill for the collection of the sample even though we are not running the test on it?
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Wiki Urine Culture Send Off! Help!
- Thread starter aamedee92
- Start date
Pajda4
New
Urine Culture Send Off advisement
Per Medicare Claims Processing Manual, Chapter 16, Section 60.1:
"A specimen collection fee is allowed in circumstances such as drawing a blood sample
through venipuncture (i.e., inserting into a vein a needle with syringe or vacutainer to
draw the specimen) or collecting a urine sample by catheterization. A specimen
collection fee is not allowed for blood samples where the cost of collecting the specimen
is minimal (such as a throat culture or a routine capillary puncture for clotting or bleeding
time). This fee will not be paid to anyone who has not extracted the specimen."
So, if the specimens are voided specimens (you are not performing the catheterization of the patient), then you should not be charging for the collection of the urine specimen.
Per Medicare Claims Processing Manual, Chapter 16, Section 60.1:
"A specimen collection fee is allowed in circumstances such as drawing a blood sample
through venipuncture (i.e., inserting into a vein a needle with syringe or vacutainer to
draw the specimen) or collecting a urine sample by catheterization. A specimen
collection fee is not allowed for blood samples where the cost of collecting the specimen
is minimal (such as a throat culture or a routine capillary puncture for clotting or bleeding
time). This fee will not be paid to anyone who has not extracted the specimen."
So, if the specimens are voided specimens (you are not performing the catheterization of the patient), then you should not be charging for the collection of the urine specimen.
aamedee92
New
Thank you! We were just curious 