Lab

UnitedHealthcare is rolling out new reimbursement limits on five categories of lab tests across its commercial, ACA, Medicare Advantage and Medicaid plans. The five policies cover allergen testing, liver fibrosis testing, in vitro chemotherapy sensitivity assays, testosterone blood tests and…

In late June, Cleveland Clinic’s parasitology lab was screening one or two specimens a day for cyclospora. On July 15, it processed a peak of roughly 400 in a single day. The surge — which has since averaged to 250…

Before health systems consider allowing a third party to service their ambulatory lab testing, they need to fully understand how fee-for-service lab volumes influence the financial health of the organization. ARUP has released a new white paper, “Retain Control, Retain…

Labcorp has completed the acquisition of select laboratory assets from Syracuse, N.Y.-based Crouse Health’s Laboratory Alliance of Central New York. Under the terms of the deal, Labcorp is assuming operations of Lab Alliance’s 12 patient service centers, according to a…

Health system leaders often think of the clinical laboratory as a cost center. Why, then, are commercial laboratories so eager to purchase laboratory operations? The truth is that fee-for-service testing contributes significantly to health system profit margins, and this business…

Good Samaritan Hospital in San Jose, Calif., recently added an on-site microbiology laboratory designed to deliver faster diagnostic results, according to a Jan. 22 news release shared with Becker’s.  The lab, which began processing patient samples Jan. 21, can reduce…

FMOL Health and Orion Laboratories have announced a joint venture partnership aimed at expanding access to laboratory services across Louisiana. Under the agreement, the two Louisiana-based organizations will combine FMOL Health’s integrated regional care network and clinical expertise with Orion…

Southfield, Mich.-based Corewell Health and Secaucus, N.J.-based Quest Diagnostics have finalized a lab joint venture and hospital lab management agreement. Five things to know: 1. The new joint venture, Diagnostic Lab of Michigan, will be 51% owned by Quest and…

Laboratory and diagnostics companies are urging Congress to halt Medicare reimbursement cuts for hundreds of clinical tests set to take effect Jan. 31. CMS plans to implement up to 15% reductions to Medicare payments for about 800 clinical laboratory tests,…

Patients in rural communities often lack timely access to innovative infectious disease testing because diagnostic laboratories are located far away. Long transport times and logistical barriers delay results—driving repeat visits, misdiagnosis, and unnecessary empiric antibiotic use. The result is higher…