by Christine Woolstenhulme, QMC QCC CMCS CPC CMRS
Apr 15th, 2020
We have had a lot of questions on reimbursement for COVID testing, here is the most recent information we have from CMS, releasing their payment information in a newsletter just today.
CMS states, "Medicare will pay laboratories for the tests at $100 effective April 14, 2020, through the duration of the COVID-19 national emergency."
In addition, Medicare will pay for new specimen collection fees for COVID-19 testing for home-bound and non-hospital patients for patients that are not able to travel.
The initial pricing for the new codes U0001 and U0002 for the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) test will be about $36 and non-CDC tests will be initially priced around $51, respectively. These prices may vary slightly depending on the local Medicare Administrative Contractor (MAC). View the full price by MAC list at: https://www.cms.gov/files/document/maccovid-19-test-pricing.pdf
For more information on this payment announcement, please visit: https://www.cms.gov/files/
References/Resources
About Christine Woolstenhulme, QMC QCC CMCS CPC CMRS
Christine Woolstenhulme, CPC, QCC, CMCS, CMRS, is a Certified coder and Medical Biller with 30 years of experience in the healthcare industry.
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