378 labs billed Medicare at questionable levels for COVID-19 tests, OIG report says

A Dec. 6 OIG report found that 378 labs billed Medicare Part B at questionably high levels for test add-ons.

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The report found 276 labs that billed for high volumes of add-on tests on claims for COVID-19 tests and 263 labs that billed for high payment amounts from add-on tests on claims for COVID-19 tests.

One lab billed an average per claim of $666 covering both COVID-19 tests and add-on tests, compared to an average of $89 for all other labs billed for both COVID-19 and add-on tests. 

The report concluded that further billing scrutiny of these labs is needed, and the OIG referred the 378 labs to CMS.

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