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Labs

H

Herbie Lorona

Expert
Messages
419
Location
Yuma, AZ
If a patient is scheduled to come back to the office for a lab draw what codes can we bill. The patient gets there vitals checked and gets blood drawn which is then sent out to an outside lab to run the test!
 
sounds like a possible nurse visit maybe - depends. who does the vitals and why? is it documented? If they're coming back for a lab draw, (only) why are they being seen at all? Why aren't they just doing a "lab only" which of course would be the reason they're running the labs. (dx reason on the lab order)
 
They are coming in for a lab but the normal routine for every visit is to check vitals as well. The MA's do the whole visit from the vitals to the draw!
 
I think it makes good sense to take vitals before drawing someone's blood. so agree that a nurse visit would be appropriate. Don't forget to bill for the venipuncture (36415) as well! :0)
 
when our patients come "back" for lab draw only - that's all it is, is a lab draw only. They don't see the nurse, they just register up front and of course the orders are already in lab - then of course they get called with results and information needed for follow ups or whatever. They don't see the nurse again because either they were just in and needed to come back fasting for labs only or maybe they have recurring labs eg; every month, etc. They don't see anybody if they're coming back for lab only UNLESS they are having issues. Personally I'd be a little upset if I was in to see the doc, came back the next day for lab only, or in for recurring DM check or protime check and got charged "another" office visit.(even though it's only a level 1 charge) I don't see the need for the nurse visit, when it's a lab only request.
Know what I mean?:confused:
I'm not saying it's wrong, just that as a patient I'd be "miffed", and as a coder I'd have a difficult time explaining why a patient needed to see a nurse before having a blood draw. As the daughter of elderly parents who are in for recurring labs monthly,(and who helps them with their medical bills) I'd be on the phone pretty darn quick with the facility and the insurance company finding out why on earth they're being charged an office level when all they needed was to go have lab drawn.
 
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