General Surgery Coding Alert - 2023 Issue 13
Reader Questions: Get a Grip on Fingerstick Reimbursement
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Article Overview
This reader Q&A explains the general payment landscape for common and more specialized specimen collection services in laboratory and diagnostic settings. It is useful for coders, billers, and laboratory staff who need a high-level understanding of how payers may treat specimen collection and what kinds of guidance the article addresses. The article also notes the presence of CPT® specimen collection codes and broader payer policy considerations.
Why This Topic Matters
Understanding how specimen collection is handled for reimbursement helps practices avoid billing denials and identify when collection services may or may not be separately payable.
Article Sections
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Question
Introduces the billing question involving capillary blood collection for laboratory testing.
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Answer
Summarizes the reimbursement issue and discusses broad payer treatment of routine specimen collection services.
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Don’t miss
Highlights that the article also addresses more specialized specimen collection scenarios and related billing considerations.
What You Will Learn
- How specimen collection services are viewed in a reimbursement context
- Which broad categories of collection services are discussed
- How payer policy themes affect billing for common and specialized collections
- The kinds of coding issues raised by fingerstick and venipuncture collection services
Who Should Read This
- Medical coders
- Medical billers
- Laboratory staff
- Revenue cycle professionals
- Healthcare administrators
Codes Discussed
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