News Report | December 1, 2020
Medicare Revises COVID-19 Test Reimbursement Rate To Reward Expedited Results
On October 15, 2020, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced changes to how Medicare will pay for expedited coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) test results. Starting January 1, 2021, CMS will reduce the base payment amount for COVID-19 diagnostic tests run on high-throughput technology from $100 to $75. Medicare will make an additional $25 add-on payment to laboratories for a COVID-19 diagnostic test run on high throughput technology if the laboratory meets two conditions: it completes the test in two calendar days or less, and it completes the majority of their COVID-19 . . .