FYI - saw alot about this today, just got this e-mail from ASCP Liz
-----Original Message----- From: American Society for Clinical Pathology [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Wed 12/22/2010 2:42 PM To: Liz Chlipala Subject: ASCP Action Alert - Physician Signature Requirement <http://portal.mxlogic.com/images/transparent.gif> Physician Signature Requirement Burdens Labs, Jeopardizes Patients ASCP urges you to act before the Jan. 3 deadline Recently, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) finalized its Medicare Physician Fee Schedule final rule for the 2011 calendar year. The rule includes a troubling policy change requiring a physician's or qualified nonphysician practitioner's (NPP) signature on requisitions for clinical diagnostic laboratory tests paid under the clinical laboratory fee schedule (effective Jan. 1, 2011). CMS defines a requisition as "the actual paperwork, such as a form, which is provided to a clinical diagnostic laboratory that identifies the test or tests to be performed for a patient." Currently, a physician signature is required only on orders for laboratory services. ASCP believes the new rule could adversely affect patient care and complicate the provision of the laboratory services. In cases where a signature from the ordering physician or NPP is absent, laboratories could be left scrambling trying to obtain the signature. Late Breaking News Rule: Recently CMS has partially agreed to a delayed implementation request from ASCP and other members of the clinical laboratory coalition organizations. CMS will delay implementation of the rule for three months. During this period, ASCP will continue to pressure CMS to withdraw its new proposal. ASCP urges you to contact CMS and tell them of your opposition to the policy change. Contact CMS before the Jan. 3 Comment Deadline to maximize the effectiveness of your voice. Read more and take action today . . . <http://emessage.chicago.ascp.org/emessageirs/servlet/IRSL?v=4&l=1&r=10644&m=22015&e=2> Tell a friend: Not everyone receives ASCP's Action Alerts, so please forward this message to your peers and co-workers! <http://www.chicago.ascp.org/pics/email/logoASCP-final-2736.jpg> 2010 American Society for Clinical Pathology 33 West Monroe Street, Suite 1600, Chicago, IL 60603 312.541.4999 ~ [email protected] <http://portal.mxlogic.com/images/transparent.gif> _______________________________________________ Histonet mailing list [email protected] http://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet
