Practice Management Alert

Question: I work for a physician that gives patients injections to be administered at home. The patient comes to the office to pick up the medication. The doctor states the place of service is office even though the patient actually administers the injections at home. What is the correct place of service to bill for this service?

Pennsylvania Subscriber

Answer: The place of service doesn't matter because you shouldn't be billing for this service at all.

Here's why: Since there was no drug administration performed in the office, and these drugs will be self- administered by the patient himself out of the office at home, you cannot bill at all. You should not submit a claim for the injection of the drugs or for the drugs supplied by the physician.

For this clinical scenario the patient should purchase the drugs by prescription from a pharmacy, especially if he has a drug plan for reimbursement or payment for the drugs purchased.