Implantium Charges Expose Potential for Abuse of Pass-Through

By Greg Jones, Western Bureau ChiefCharges filed against two operators of a San Francisco Bay Area medical device supplier once again cast light on what critics say is a loophole that allows brokers to overcharge for implants used in spinal fusions.The spinal “pass-through” allows hospitals to bill carriers for the actual cost of medical devices used in fusion procedures, plus a handling fee. A consultant for the Commission on Health and Safety and Workers' Compensation recommended that the pass-through be eliminated a decade ago, but so far all attempts to do so through legisl...