Non-participating lab referrals

This is a reminder to ensure that you are referring Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield (Anthem) members to participating labs. LabCorp is our preferred lab provider and offers a Single Source Solution to your testing needs.  The relationship with LabCorp does not affect network hospital-based lab service providers, contracted pathologists, or contracted independent laboratories.  Physicians may continue to refer to all par providers as they have in the past.

Not only does your Anthem agreement obligate you to refer to participating labs where available, but members will only receive their full benefits from participating providers.  As a result, referring your patient and our member to a non-participating lab may expose them to a greater financial responsibility.  As a reminder, Quest Diagnostics is a non-participating laboratory for all lines of business in Colorado.

Unfortunately, there are certain non-participating labs that are offering to waive or cap co-payments, coinsurance or deductibles to our members in order to increase their overall revenue. These practices undermine member benefits and may encourage over-utilization of services.

These billing practices are also questionable in their legality.  Such a practice may present violations under state or federal anti-kickback laws, and may constitute abuse of health insurance under the Colorado criminal code.

For a listing of Anthem participating laboratories, please check our online directory. Go to anthem.com.  Choose Providers, and Providers Overview.  Select Find Resources in Your State, and pick Colorado.   From the Provider Home tab, select the enter button from the blue box on the left side of page titled Find a Doctor. 

Note:  When searching for laboratory, pathology, or radiology services, under the field “I am looking for a:” select Lab/Pathology/Radiology; and then under the field “Who specializes in:”, select Laboratories, Pathology, or Radiology as appropriate for your inquiry.

LabCorp is our preferred lab provider and offers a Single Source Solution to your testing needs:

LabCorp is capable of providing services that range from routine testing, such as basic blood counts and cholesterol tests, to highly complex diagnosing of genetic conditions, cancers, and other rare diseases.  LabCorp has specialized laboratories which cover the following areas of testing:

Allergy Program	Genetic Testing	Medical Drug Monitoring	Obstetrics / Gynecology
Cancer Testing	Genetic Counseling	Molecular Diagnostics	Oncology
Cardiovascular Disease	Genomics	Newborn Screening	Toxicology
Companion Diagnostics	HLA Lab for National Marrow Donor Program	Pain Management	Whole Exome Sequencing
Dermatology	Hematopathology	Pathology Expertise w/range of Subspecialties	Virology
Diabetes	Infectious Disease	Pharmacogenomics	Women’s Health
DNA Testing	Immunology	Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis	Urology
Endocrine Disorders	Liver Disease	Reproductive Health
Esoteric Coagulation	Kidney Disease
Gastroenterology

 

Note:  This relationship with LabCorp does not affect network hospital-based lab service providers, contracted pathologists, or contracted independent laboratories.

1103-0521-PN-CO