Palmetto GBA gives the College of American Pathologists the LCD it wanted

Palmetto GBA, the Medicare Administrative Contractor (MAC) for Jurisdiction 11 (the Carolinas and Virginias), has just released a very extensive draft local coverage determination (LCD) policy> that addresses the overutilization of immunohistochemical (IHC) and special stains by pathologists for breast, gastrointestinal, prostate, lung, gynecologic, genitourinary, skin, soft tissue, central and peripheral nervous systems, bone marrow and tumor chemosensitivity specimens. It would appear the draft LCD is in direct response to the complaint filed with CMS by the College of American Pathologists (CAP), which took exception to an educational document Palmetto posted on its website back in May that highlighted ancillary stain overutilization by pathologists on gastric biopsies.