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Pathology/Lab Coding Alert

Reader Question:

Make Sure You Use the Same Date for Special Stains

Published on Tue Sep 01, 2009

Question: Our lab processed a paraffin block and prepared H&E slides from a skin biopsy that the dermatologist submitted on May 18. The pathologist evaluated the slides the next day and ordered a PAS stain to rule out fungal infection, which our lab prepared that day (May 19). The pathologist examined the PAS slides on May 20. Because the H&E slide prep and the special stain slide prep had different service dates, Medicare denied our bill for the technical component of the special stain addon code due to the lack of a primary service on that date. How can we overcome this problem? Ohio Subscriber Answer: You can overturn this denial by getting the service dates right. The technical services occurred on May 18 -- hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) stain -- and May 19 -- periodic acid Schiff (PAS) stain. But according to Medicare's laboratory date of service rule, you should bill both [...]
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