IDTF Billing Guide

Interpreting Physicians and Personnel (Technicians) Who Perform Tests

An IDTF may be either a mobile or stationary/fixed facility.

Portable/Mobile Facility

There are two types of mobile IDTFs. Each are large vehicles such as a trailer, mobile home, etc.

The portable unit transports diagnostic equipment to different fixed locations (i.e. SNF, physician office)
The mobile facility is a licensed, converted large vehicle that is equipped to provide diagnostic testing to patients inside the vehicle.

Mobile IDTFs travel and perform diagnostic tests at various locations; therefore, they do not have a single practice location.

The mobile IDTF is required to list their geographic service areas on their Medicare enrollment application. Each vehicle must be separately enrolled into Medicare.

A mobile IDTF that provides X-ray services is not classified as a portable X-ray supplier; therefore, it cannot bill for transportation (HCPCS R0070) and setup (HCPCS Q0092).

Fixed/Stationary Site Facility

A fixed IDTF is defined as a facility that renders diagnostic testing services at one practice location.

The fixed IDTF does not:

share a practice location with another Medicare-enrolled individual or organization,
lease or sublease its operations or its practice location to another Medicare-enrolled individual or organization or
share their diagnostic testing equipment with another Medicare-enrolled individual or organization.

An IDTF must employ medical technicians who are responsible for performing the diagnostic test on the patient.

IDTFs are not required to employ interpreting physicians. The professional interpretation of a diagnostic test may be billed separately.

Example: A physician bills a claim for the professional component of a procedure code with modifier 26 and the IDTF bills for the technical component of a procedure code with modifier TC.

Technician and Interpreting Physician Requirements

Technician

Must meet the certification and/or license standards of the state in which tests are performed at the time of the IDTF enrollment and/or at the time any tests are performed
- Copies of all documentation verifying their certification/license must be included with the enrollment application.
Must be qualified to perform the types of tests (procedure codes) listed in the enrollment application

Interpreting Physician

Must be licensed to practice in the state where the diagnostic tests they supervise will be performed
Must be qualified to interpret the types of tests (procedure codes) listed in the enrollment application
Must be actively enrolled in Medicare as an individual provider (855I)
Are employed by the IDTF and will not have their benefits reassigned to the IDTF