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Oncology & Hematology Coding Alert

Reader Question:

One Vial, Three Patients

Published on Fri Dec 21, 2012

Question: How do I code for chemotherapy drugs when one vial is used for several patients? For example, if I had a 100-unit vial and three patients got 30 units each, who pays for the other 10?

Michigan Subscriber

Answer: If it�s a multidose vial, you could use the additional 10 units for another patient if the drug is not past the expiration date. You can bill the exact units used per patient.

If you do not have someone scheduled to use that drug within the next few days, you would bill the total dose and document the waste. You should also report how much was given. You will be reimbursed for the total contents of the vial, both what was used and what was wasted, as long as it is documented.


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