GENERAL POLICIES

We very much appreciate your patronage. To promote clear communication, efficient and prompt service, and uniform policies applied by our staff, the following business operating guidelines were established.

1.   Accessions  

An accession represents a laboratory submission from a single clinical problem (disease syndrome) from one herd. An accession may consist of single or multiple animals or specimens from the same production unit, same species, and same age group, with one clinical problem. For multiple animals to be considered a single accession the lab must retain the right to select samples for additional testing and pool testing at the discretion of the case coordinator to mitigate costs. Pooling is only done when no loss in diagnostic sensitivity is anticipated.

• Submissions consisting of multiple animals with different clinical problems will be handled as separate accessions and will be charged individually with individual case breakpoints .
• Multiple specimens submitted for specified testing (not marked discretion of the laboratory) in which identification of all individual samples is retained may be billed with one accession fee but the break point may not apply. (eg. 12 Serpulina cultures)
• Submitting of samples implies agreement to policies of the Laboratory and transfers ownership of samples and property intellectual or otherwise derived from samples unless ownership is retained via written agreement.
• Agreement to allow subcontracting of tests not currently performed is implied by submission to our facility.
• Most testing will be performed at the UNL campus in compliance with our Quality Assurance documents. Subcontracted tests will be noted and the test site will be specified in the final report. Subcontracted tests will be contracted to labs accredited to equal or higher standards or a quality audit will be performed.

2.   Payment

The person requesting laboratory services is responsible for payment. The submitting veterinarian will be billed for services forwarded on behalf of clients. Veterinarians should not request that the Diagnostic Center bill owners directly for services. Owners requesting service without a veterinarian are required to pay at the time of sample delivery.

Laboratory charges are billed each month and payment is due upon receipt. Laboratory services will be suspended if an account is more than 60 days past due.
Effective as of April 1, 2004, a returned check service fee of $30.00 will be charged for each returned check.
The University/Veterinary Diagnostic Center is not set up to accept payments by credit cards. Payment must be made by check or by cash only.

3.   Breakpoint Fees

A graduated fee schedule has been established to maintain fees to individual animal owners at the lowest rate possible. This fee schedule includes a "fee breakpoint" beyond which the fees are discounted 90%. The fee breakpoint is $100.00 on accessions. Included in the breakpoint fee are the charges for the accession fee, necropsy, histopathology, immunohistochemistry, bacteriology, and virology.

• Laboratory fees exceeding the breakpoints will be billed at the rate of $100.00 plus 10% of the remaining laboratory fees. For example, a case which includes necropsy and laboratory fees that total $190.00 would be charged $100.00 plus $9.00 (10% of the remaining $90 in fees) for a total of $109.00. 

Break point fees exclude serology, toxicology charges and disposal fee.
Charges for serology and toxicology, specialized molecular tests and large animal disposal will be billed in addition to the total of the fees for laboratory tests conducted. Likewise, professional service fees for research or litigation work and photo documentation will not be included under the fee breakpoint.

• The above case with paired serology totaling $40 would be billed at $140 (95+10+40)

Industrial manufacturing firms are not regarded as individual animal owners for purposes of laboratory services. The graduated "fee breakpoint" policy does not apply to accessions submitted by such firms, and they will be charged the full laboratory fee costs.

• If multiple methods are requested for identification of the same agent, the Lab may charge for additional test in excess of the breakpoint.

4.  Accession and Shipping Fees   

A $7.00 accession fee will be charged on most accessions to help defray cost of tracking, reporting, billing, and professional services. A $12.50 fee will be levied for packaging and forwarding specimens to reference laboratories. Specimens requiring express mail or special handling will be charged all related shipping costs. Shipping bacterial isolates usually results in extra charges and does require return of shipping container. On return, UN certified containers will be billed at cost.

5.  Disposal

The labs now pay a rendering fee associated with eliminating animal remains. All sheep must be incinerated. A fee of $10.00 for sheep weighing less than 50 pounds and $25.00 for sheep greater than 50 pounds will be added to the charges. Disposal fees are subject to change. Current fees for other species are on the fee schedule.

6.   Biopsy Fees

Fees for biopsies, which are charged at $20.00 per site, include multiple biopsies from one site or multiple sites for a generalized dermatologic condition. Up to three special stains may be included at the discretion of the pathologist. Charges incurred due to referral to another lab for second opinions may be charged if shipped at your request. Second opinion review of sections in-house will be done free of charge. For multiple tissues (necropsy in a bottle) or small animal necropsy, the lab can provide an estimate of charges to assist your billing cash-only clients. Call for an estimate if needed

7.   Unanticipated Fees

Significant additional or unanticipated testing will be performed only after consultation with and approval by the person who requested laboratory services. Additional testing will be charged at the published rate.