Q&A: Billing for Self-Administered Drugs

Q. I was under the impression that CMS said it would leave the billing for self-administered drugs to the OIG. However, we have not heard anything from the OIG. What if we are not billing for the medications?

A. CMS has recently said that it will allow that, however, it will not allow hospitals to advertise it and there are some further instructions. As I interpret that document, there is not a requirement that we have to bill the patient for the self-administered drugs. However, that could be a revenue stream even though it is one that’s not very popular.

Deborah Hale, CCS, CCDS, president and CEO of Administrative Consultant Service, LLC, in Shawnee, Oklahoma, answered this question.

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