One of the scariest new lab compliance laws in recent memory is the Eliminating Kickbacks in Recovery Act of 2018 (EKRA). While laws banning remuneration in exchange for referrals is nothing new to … [Read more...]
ANTI-KICKBACK
Compliance Tool: Model In-Office Phlebotomist Agreement
January 24, 2020
The following Model Agreement between a testing lab and a referring physician was created by Savannah, GA, lab compliance attorney Adam Walters and structured to minimize kickback liability risks to … [Read more...]
Current Issue of LCA
January 21, 2020
Before You Download Please read the following user agreement and confirm your acceptance of the terms before you download LCA content: I agree that I am the the only person who is accessing my … [Read more...]
Billing & Collections
Finding the “Backdoor” into Payer Networks
January 20, 2020
By Steve Selbst bio I am delighted to be able to share with you a key “secret to success” about payer contracting. Today’s article is about getting in the “backdoor” with payers and complementing … [Read more...]
Labs In Court
Lab Uses Billing Info of Another Lab to Get Around Payment Restrictions
January 20, 2020
Case: In 2015, Kentucky Medicaid and private payors began having doubts about the legitimacy of urine drug test claims submitted by CAL Laboratory Services and restricted payments to the toxicology … [Read more...]
LABS IN COURT
Massachusetts Practice Busted for Taking Free POCT Cups from Millennium
January 15, 2020
Case: A northern Massachusetts medical practice and Detroit pain clinic became the latest downstream providers to pay the OIG a five-figure fine to settle kickback claims in the form of accepting free … [Read more...]
Employment Law Update
New overtime rule now in effect
January 14, 2020
By Mike O’Brien bio Jan. 1, 2020 was the deadline to comply with new FLSA overtime rule. At the end of September the Department of Labor issued its long-awaited final rule updating the salary … [Read more...]
BILLING & COLLECTIONS
Accessions Disappearing or Not Getting Billed?
January 13, 2020
By Sean McSweeney bio Ever get that feeling that there should be more charges in the billing system? How many times have you or someone else said something like “we did 3000 samples last month, but … [Read more...]
LABS IN COURT
Texas Health System Fined $431K for Falsely Billing Genetic Tests
January 10, 2020
Case: The feds contend that between 2016 and 2018, Decatur Hospital Authority (d/b/a Wise Health System) sent samples from surgical patients to Tennessee labs for medically unnecessary genetic tests. … [Read more...]
BILLING & COLLECTIONS
5 ways to break down bureaucracies to get payer contracts
January 3, 2020
By Steve Selbst bio It is important to remember that payers are large companies, with protocols, policies and business practices. As with any large company, there are bureaucracies, and they are … [Read more...]
