99000 -Who Should Bill?

[jcroly]

I see situations where a doctor and a lab are billing for a 99000 (Handling of a specimen from the physician's office to the lab) for the same person and same date of service. Who sould be billng this?

 

[Herbie Lorona]

CPT code 99000, "Handling and/or conveyance of specimen for transfer from the physician's office to a laboratory," is intended to be reported when the practice incurs costs to handle and/or transport a specimen to a lab. For example, if the practice employs a messenger service to transport a specimen, that service can be coded using 99000. In comparison, if lab staff pick up a specimen at no additional cost to the practice, it would not be appropriate to report code 99000.