Independent Lab Billing of Pathology TC for Hospital Patients Discontinued

Section 732 of the Medicare Modernization Act (MMA) extended, for 2005 and 2006, the provision of section 542 of the Benefits Improvement Act of 2000 (BIPA) that allowed certain independent laboratories to bill under the physician fee schedule for the technical component of physician pathology services furnished to patients of covered hospital. CR5210 instructs Medicare carriers to notify all independent laboratories that they may no longer bill for these services after the MMA provision expires on December 31, 2006.