Physician Signature Update

CMS has delayed implementation of mandatory signatures on lab requisitions by physicians and qualified non-physician practitioners. This requirement would have become mandatory April 1, 2011. On March 31, CMS instructed its contractors not to enforce the requirement. In order to rescind the signature requirement, the agency must comply with the Administrative Procedure Act notice and comment period. Until that time, the requirement has been officially “delayed”. Since the requirement is still “on the books”, Main Line Health Laboratories requests a signature from the ordering physician or non-physician practitioners on all laboratory requisitions; however, no patient will be turned away for lack of signature.