8Meaning of serial examinations or cultures

8 Meaning of serial examinations or cultures

For the purposes of an item in Group P3 (Microbiology):

(a) serial examinations or cultures means a series of examinations or cultures requested on 1 occasion whether or not:

(i) the materials are received on different days by the approved pathology practitioner; or

(ii) the examinations or cultures were requested on 1 or more request forms by the treating practitioner; and

(i) tests are carried out in relation to a patient episode; and

(iii) in response to a request made within 14 days of the patient episode, further tests are carried out on the stored material;

8A

(1) A medicare benefit is not payable in respect of more than one of items 69266, 69267, 69268, 69269, 69270, 69271, 69272, 69273, 69274, 69275, 69276, 69277, 69278, 69279 and 69281 in a patient episode.

(2) For the purposes of item 69279, currently elevated transaminase level means a level of alanine aminotransferase or aspartate aminotransferase above the normal reference range in respect of the particular method of assay used to determine the level, as disclosed by a test carried out within the previous 7 days.