Full Focus: Current Trends of DOJ Enforcement Investigations & How Labs Can Proactively Prepare for a Knock at the Door
Federal investigators tasked with identifying and prosecuting improper billing and test utilization practices have ramped up their efforts to enforce compliance with the worst of the pandemic behind us. With that in mind, how can labs best prepare to effectively respond to inquiries from the Department of Justice (DOJ) or other regulatory agencies?
Join us at 12 p.m. EDT, Wednesday, Sept. 20, 2023, as we welcome healthcare attorneys Edward Heath and Danielle Tangorre of Robinson + Cole to discuss recent high-profile cases and the processes labs can put in place to respond if they receive a subpoena or inquiry from investigators. While these measures don’t need to be onerous, having a plan in place if the government comes knocking will help to establish that your organization is credible and maintains a culture of compliance.
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1. CMS to Withdraw NCCI Edit Impacting Drug Testing
In a significant win for labs and pain management providers, CMS announced it is withdrawing NCCI PTP billing edits impacting presumptive and definitive drug testing performed on the same patient on the same day, according to an announcement on the agency's website.
Check out the blog below for more details on the timeline for the change and how claim processing will be impacted.
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2. Celebrating Our 20th Anniversary!
September marks a significant milestone for Lighthouse Lab Services as we celebrate our 20th anniversary! 🎉
Over the past two decades, we have grown from a small startup focused on recruiting to a leading provider of all medical laboratory consulting and management needs. Our journey has been marked by relentless dedication, adaptability, and a commitment to making quality lab testing more accessible.
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3. Upcoming Educational Drug Testing Webinar Series
This fall, Lighthouse is partnering with the Pain Society of the Carolinas, New York Pain Society, Tennessee Pain Society, and Pennsylvania Pain Society, to conduct a series of free educational webinars on drug testing. Attendees can earn up to 1 ACCME AMA PRA Category 1 Credit for their participation, with credits jointly provided by AMEDCO. Check out the full lineup below and be sure to sign up soon using the title links below!
Topic #1: Urine Drug Testing 101 - Produced in conjunction with the Rothman Othopaedic Institute Foundation for Opioid Research
Presented by: Michael Sprintz, DO, and Elliot Labovitz, Lighthouse Lab Services
Date: Thursday, Oct. 26, 2023, 7-8 PM Eastern
Presented by: Dr. Erik Korte, Lab Director & TC, Lighthouse Lab Services
Date: Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2023, 7-8 PM Eastern
Presented by: Dr. Sarah Harris, Chief Technical Officer, Lighthouse Lab Services
Date: Wednesday, Nov. 15, 2023, 7-8 PM Eastern
Faculty: Ann Lambrix, MSJ, VP of RCM Consulting, Lighthouse Lab Services
Date: Wednesday, Dec. 13, 2023, 7-8 PM Eastern
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4. Join Us in Philly at Future Labs Live Oct. 4-5, 2023
Future Labs Live USA is a leading event focused on the future of laboratories with over 150+ speakers from the world’s leading laboratories, and 1000+ attendees from around the world. Start-ups and disruptors will meet lab heads and lab techs together with the tech innovators and practice innovators of the future.
Lighthouse President Jon Harol will be a featured speaker at the event, offering his insight on what steps labs should pursue in order to remain successful amidst ongoing reimbursement and staffing challenges.
Register for FREE and join lab leaders this October 4-5 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center: https://rb.gy/du8nv
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1. Denial Spotlight: Minimizing Drug Screening Denials
Did you know presumptive and definitive drug screens are both paid about 86% of the time they are billed, according to data from our RCM Spotlight denial management tool? The remaining 15% difference poses consistent hurdles for healthcare providers.
Check out our breakdown of top denials reasons for a better understanding of how to avoid these reimbursement hurdles.
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2. Exploring the Impact Healthcare Mergers Can Have on Your Lab
We’ve recently seen a number of high-profile healthcare mergers, and as these changes accelerate, we’ve been working to keep our clients informed of how they could be impacted by deals involving their health systems or organizations. Amidst this environment of rapid mergers and acquisitions, it's worth considering how these moves can impact your lab or practice.
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3. PAMA Data Submission Period Approaching Barring Legislative Fix
Is your lab or pathology group required to submit Protecting Access to Medicare Act (PAMA) private payer data during the upcoming reporting period? If you're unsure, you'll want to determine your reporting status (partly based on Medicare Part B volume) to ensure you're ready to submit 2019 reimbursement data for your tests between Jan. 1 and March 31, 2024.
While many lab advocacy groups continue to push for a long-term fix to this process through the passage of the Saving Access to Lab Services Act (SALSA), labs must also be prepared to submit their payer data if a solution isn't approved after years of delays. If PAMA remains in place, rates for individual tests on the CLFS can be reduced by as much as 15% annually between 2024 and 2026.
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Deep Dive: How Medical Labs Can Address Staffing Issues Amid Persistent Employee Shortages |
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Did you know roughly 10,000 new employees entered the medical laboratory field to assist with testing throughout the pandemic? While some may have nontraditional career pathways or educational backgrounds, retaining these professionals and working to train them in new areas of testing is a golden opportunity to alleviate some of the industry's longstanding staffing issues, according to Jon Harol, President of Lighthouse Lab Services.
"Let's not let them move on and leave the field," Harol says. "There's an opportunity for (labs) to bring them in, put them on a career path, and keep them long term."
Check out our latest video for more insight into the current state of lab staffing and how industry advocates can work to bolster and offer new pathways to medical lab roles.
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UPCOMING TRADESHOWS AND CONFERENCES |
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1. Pain Society of the Carolinas Annual Meeting
2. Texas Society for GI and Endoscopy Annual Meeting
3. MLO Lab Director Summit
4. Tennessee Pain Society Annual Meeting
5. Southern Pain Society Annual Meeting
6. College of American Pathologists Annual Meeting
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This email is brought to you as a service from Lighthouse Lab Services to provide quality and timely information that can improve your laboratory operations. We strive to maintain our position as the country’s premiere lab consulting firm and support your success. |
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The Lab Insighter is a monthly publication for Lab Owners and Decision Makers.
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Contact us at:
(919) 443-6553
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