Medicare billing - a brief example and suggestion:

[pinto]

Here's one example of a Medicare billing for lab work and how it 'works' for me.

ABC Lab: 1 Cytopath, concentrate tech

Lab charge:------------- $95.00

Medicare approved:------ $76.55

Medicare paid:---------- $61.24

You may be billed:------ $15.31

I have a preapproved "assignment" with this lab. They will accept Medicare payment as payment in full. Sometimes, labs get sent out to specialty providers, as in this case. If you get billed, request assignment to Medicare, or secondary billing to MediCaid, if you are covered by either of these programs.