I've subscribed to the trade journal DARK REPORT for years. I'm sorry I haven't been to their outstanding spring conference - Pathology War College - in New Orleans since before 2020.
There are a number of highlights in the July 31 issue.
- 81408 FRAUD
- Z CODES - WHERE ARE THEY GOING
- DIGITAL PATHOLOGY - WSI CASE STUDY
Regarding 81408 fraud, the bring readers up to date on the July 2023 OIG report about a billion dollar of easy money autopaid by the Novitas and FCSO MAC's the last couple years. See my blog here and the OIG report here. See Genomeweb here.
- 81408 Death Watch? OIG wrote that "there were no longer payments on [81408] by December 31, 2021."
- Well, I hope so, but we'll find out in October 2023, in a couple months, when CMS releases payments by CPT code for ...CY2022.
Regarding Z codes, they initiate a new section, VIRCHOW, about the intersection of the lab industry and managing care. There's a several-page article speculating on how slow or fast Z codes will spread in the insurance industry. Another article states that United Healthcare has delayed Z codes for several months (formerly August 1).
Regarding digital pathology, they have a long article about the full-on adoption of whole slide imaging (WSI) at Universit of Louisville.
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Dark media also have a free weekly newsletter, TDR INSIDER.
See also their blog series, open access, Dark Daily.
They offer a current webinar on Z codes, $195, here.
