What is a requirement on all CMS-1500 forms used for laboratory testing?

The correct answer is the requirement for a CLIA number on all CMS-1500 forms used for laboratory testing. The Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) establish quality standards for laboratory testing, and laboratories must be certified under CLIA to ensure compliance with these standards. When billing for laboratory services, the CLIA number must be included on the CMS-1500 form to indicate that the laboratory performing the testing is certified and compliant with federal regulations. This requirement helps ensure that claims for laboratory services are processed correctly and that the services provided meet mandated quality standards.

In the context of the other options, while a patient’s signature and the signature of the physician may be necessary for certain forms of medical documentation and consent, they are not specifically required on the CMS-1500 for laboratory tests. Diagnostic procedure codes are also important as they describe the services provided, but they do not serve the compliance purpose that the CLIA number does. Thus, the inclusion of the CLIA number is crucial for validating that the laboratory services billed adhere to the appropriate regulatory standards.