Regulatory Issues
California Business and Professionals Code 655.6
- It is unlawful for any person licensed under this division or under any initiative act referred to in this division to charge, bill or otherwise solicit payment from any patient, client, customer, or third-party payer for cytologic services relating to the examination of gynecologic slides if those services were not rendered by that person or under his or her direct supervision.
- Clinical laboratories performing cytologic examination of gynecologic slides shall directly bill either the patient or the responsible third-party payer for the cytologic services rendered by those laboratories. Clinical laboratories shall not bill the patient or surgeon who requests the tests.
- For the purposes of this section, any person or entity who is responsible to pay for cytologic examination of gynecologic slide services provided to that patient shall be considered a responsible third-party payer.
- This section shall not apply to any of the following:
- Any person who, or any clinical laboratory that, contracts directly with a health care service plan licensed pursuant to Section 1349 of the Health and Safety Code, if services are to be provided to members of the plan on a prepaid basis.
- Any person who, or clinic that, provides cytologic examination of gynecologic slides services without charge to the patient, or on a sliding scale payment basis where the patient’s charge for services is determined by the patient’s ability to pay.
- Health care programs operated by public entities, including, but not limited to, colleges and universities.
- Health care programs operated by private educational institutions to serve the health care needs of their students.
- Any person who, or clinic that, contracts with an employer to provide medical services to employees of the employer if the cytologic services relating to the examination of gynecologic slides are provided under the contract.