From LDH: Revision to COVID-19 Testing Payment Methodology

Date: 12/22/20

On December 22,2020, the Louisiana Department of Health issued the following memorandum to Lab Service Providers: 

Effective January 1, 2021, Medicaid is revising its payment methodology for high throughput COVID-19 testing to align with Medicare rates. Currently, these tests (HCPCS codes U0003 and U0004) are both reimbursed at $100 per test, but beginning January 1, 2021, Medicare is reducing the base payment for each of these tests to $75.

As a result, there will be a reduction in reimbursement from Louisiana Medicaid for high throughput COVID-19 testing from $100 to $75 per test.

This change will be reflected in the COVID-19 Laboratory Fee Schedule available here beginning January 1, 2021.

Louisiana Healthcare Connections will update its systems to reflect these fee schedule changes within 30 days. As necessary, claims will be recycled within 15 days with no action required by providers.