Wiki Date of Service Use for Presumptive and Definitive Testing

[ShanHoff89]

We are a independent lab, and we have a new person in the lab who thinks we should use the date test is performed as our date of service versus collection date in which we use today.

We receive samples from referring providers and do a presumptive test on day we receive sample and then on following day we do the definitive test after ordering provider reviews presumptive results and orders definitive test? What date of service do we use for both test? sample collection date or actual date test is performed? It is the same sample, they are not sending a 2nd sample.

I know Medicare is collection date, what about other payers...Humana, Anthem, Cigna?

Any insight is appreciated?

 

[Narobo]

Hi there! I think it depends on what you’re billing out for. If tissue collection you’d use date of collection. If it’s a consult, we use the date it was received in our lab. If it’s only add on stains, we use the date they were ordered IF it’s more than 30 days past the original collection date. If it falls within the 30 days, I believe you should be using the collection date.

At least that’s how we run things at our lab!