If a provider does not bill Medicare or Medicaid, what is still required?

The requirement for CLIA (Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments) certification is essential because it establishes standards for laboratory testing to ensure quality and accuracy regardless of the billing status. Even if a provider does not bill Medicare or Medicaid, if they conduct laboratory tests on human specimens, they must comply with CLIA regulations. This ensures that they meet the necessary standards for safety, accuracy, and reliability in laboratory work, which is vital for patient care and safety.

Other aspects, such as OSHA compliance, while generally required to ensure workplace safety, do not specifically pertain to the billing status with Medicare or Medicaid. Similarly, patient privacy training is necessary for all healthcare providers as part of HIPAA compliance regardless of billing practices, but it is not a direct requirement tied to the provider's billing status. Reusable equipment certification may apply depending on context, but it is less universally applicable compared to CLIA certification in the context of laboratory testing. Therefore, CLIA certification remains the primary requirement when it comes to laboratory services, independent of the provider's billing relationships with government payers.