Hi Everybody,

I am sure I'm opening a can of worms, but I wanted to ask people how they
deal with CPT codes, specifically, disparitys between tissues that have the
same charge but involve dissimilar effort.

For example: Simple vs complex skins. (Complex defined for now as an ellipse
tagged with a suture for orientation, requiring multiple colored inks for
the margins, and more blocks than a straightforward "simple" skin.) Both
charge 88305, yet one is much more work than the other. (Similarly, how come
a 0.2x0.2x0.2cm GI biopsy also charges 88305?)

How do you handle charges like this, and is there a way within the
guidelines for "adjustments"?  I know our noble Samurai Pathologist, Bob
Richmond has commented on charges before, but only to the limit of whose
ultimately responsible - namely the pathologist I/C! 

Thanks for your comments,

Tim

Tim Webster 
Histology Specialist
Northwestern Medical Center
Fairfield Street
St Albans, VT 05478
(802) 524-1070
Twebster@nmcinc.org