Pathology/Lab Coding Alert

You may experience short-term 'preventive care' bonus.Now that the Supreme Court has upheld the constitutionality of portions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA), you'll need to make sure your lab is ready for changes that could affect your bottom line.Our experts have identified four topics from the law that could impact your lab.1. Look for Preventive-Care UptickBased on the Supreme Court ruling, "there will continue to be a 'push' on preventive care," says Dennis Padget, MBA, CPA, FHFMA, president of DLPadget Enterprises Inc. and publisher of the Pathology Service Coding Handbook, in The Villages, Fla.Because the ACA preventive care benefit has been in place since the law was passed, your lab may already be processing a higher volume of screening tests such as cancer screens, cholesterol evaluations, and HIV tests. The law requires both Medicare and private payers to cover the cost of preventive services, including screening [...]