[MT-L] TIBC charge with you sent an

[Don Newton]

Hello Meditech L'ers

 

We need some help with a billing issue. When we send out a Transferrin to our reference lab, they run a TIBC along with the Transferrin and we are billed for both test. The problem is, we do an Iron and a TIBC in house and based on those values, we then reflex the Transferrin to our reference lab. As the reference lab runs the TIBC along with the Transferrin, the TIBC is done twice. We then are stuck with how to correct this "double billing" issue.

 

Currently we are removing the charge from the PT account and put it on a client account and then it is written off, which is very time consuming for coding and IT. In addition to the lost revenue as we are not able to bill for the initial TIBC.  The coding we use is as follows:

 

40200917      IRON - CPT        83540

40208134      IRON BINDING CAPACITY CPT- 83550

These two tests are done in the lab here in house, they are coded as # 83540 and 83550

 

When we send out a TRANSFERRIN, CPT- 84466 90

  

We are getting an edit/ warning that CPT code 83550 cannot be billed with CPT 84466 90.  Is there a way to bundle the 83550 with the 83540?  Not sure if bundling these two is ok or not, but we have other codes that are bundled. What are other hospitals doing? TIA for the help.

 

Don

[Don Newton]

Sorry folks, I messed up the Subject line!  Don

[Pervine, Teresa]

I don’t know how cooperative your reference lab is, but you might explain the problem to them and ask them to stop doing the TIBC.  We use Quest Diagnostics, and one of the things they love to do, is run a creatinine on every 24 hour urine.  Several years ago we told them we only wanted the ordered test, (no creatinine).  They gave us new test numbers for each urine test without a creatinine, which solve the problem.

 

Teresa

 

Teresa Pervine MT(ASCP)

Clinical Systems Analyst

Murray Calloway County Hospital

270-762-1160

tper...@murrayhospital.org

 

Write your Troubles in the Sand, Carve your Blessings in Stone.