ASCP President on Satellite Radio

ASCP President John S.J. Brooks, MD, FASCP discussed the controversial issue of “pod labs” and unethical billing practices during a radio interview on Reach MD, a program of XM 233 Satellite Radio, in late August and early September.

In the interview, Brooks fully explains the alarmingly abusive billing practices with detailed examples.

"Fundamentally there was and still is a loophole in Medicare/CMS rules to transfer billing rights from the pathologist to the [clinician-owned] group, who then bills for those services," said Brooks in the interview. "It takes the biopsies away from all of your normal local laboratories, whether they be hospital or independent laboratories, and funnels them to these condo situations."

In two other segments, Dr. Brooks discussed the role of the pathology laboratory in the doctor-patient relationship, as well as the of leiomyosarcoma tissue bank for research purposes. The segments aired as part of the "Clinician's Roundtable" series Aug. 29; Aug. 30; Aug. 31; Sept. 1; and Sept. 2. The program is hosted by Mark Nolan, MD, FACS. For more information about Reach MD, visit www.reachmd.com.