RT Journal
A1 Goldsmith MF
T1 FEderal proficiency testing requirements set to start for physician office laboratories
JF JAMA
JO JAMA
YR 1989
FD November 3
VO 262
IS 17
SP 2355
OP 2356
DO 10.1001/jama.1989.03430170013004
UL http://dx.doi.org/10.1001/jama.1989.03430170013004
AB CLIA 88 is coming soon to an office very near you. A new video about a sexy piano player? No—the catchy acronym for the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments of 1988 refers to federal legislation (elements of which take effect on Jan 1, 1990) that will have an impact on every setting in the United States in which human specimens are tested for diagnostic, treatment, or other purposes spelled out in the law.Previously, only laboratories involved in Medicare or interstate testing were subject to federal regulation. Now, in addition to hospitals and reference laboratories, every physician in the United States who performs clinical tests—and one fourth of all such tests in this country are done in offices—will be subject to regulations currently being drawn up at the direction of Congress by the Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA). Whether or not a given physician receives reimbursement from Medicare or Medicaid is