Newborn Screening for Metabolic and Sickle Cell Disorders Program

FAQs for Hospitals

What disorders are on Georgia's Newborn Screening Panel?

What is the process of specimen collection?

Will the specimen collection forms change?

How will hospitals transport their specimens to the Georgia Public Health Laboratory?

What is the fee?

Will there be a fee for a repeat newborn screen?

Will the Department of Community Health reimburse for infants covered by Medicaid?

What disorders are on Georgia's Newborn Screening Panel?

Georgia law (OCGA 31-12-6 & 31-12-7) and Rules and Regulations (Chapter 290-5-24) requires that every live born infant have an adequate blood test for 28 disorders. These disorders include: Phenylketonuria, Congenital Hypothyroidism, Maple Syrup Urine Disease, Galactosemia, Tyrosinemia, Homocystinuria, Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia, Biotinidase Deficiency, Medium-Chain Acyl-CoA Dehydrogenase Deficiency, Sickle Cell Disorders (SS, SC, S-beta thalassemia), Isovaleric acidemia, Glutaric acidemia type I, 3-OH 3-CH3 glutaric aciduria (HMG), Multiple carboxylase deficiency, Methylmalonic acidemia, (Cobalamin A and Cobalamin B deficiency) 3-Methylcrotonyl-CoA carboxylase deficiency (3MCC), Propionic acidemia, Beta-ketothiolase deficiency, Very long-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase deficiency (VLCAD), Long-chain L-3-OH acyl CoA dehydrogenase deficiency (LCHAD), Trifunctional protein deficiency, Carnitine uptake defect, Citrullinemia, Argininosuccinic acidemia, and Cystic Fibrosis.

What is the process of specimen collection?

Hospitals will continue to collect the blood specimen on the filter paper card and submit it to GPHL.

Will the specimen collection forms change?

Possibly. The newborn screening collection form is under constant review for effectiveness and may be changed in the future to better accommodate needs and improve outcomes. Provided the expiration date has not been reached, the current cards should be used. On the current specimen form, there is a space for “Medical Number.” Please write the mother’s Medicaid number in that space, if applicable. If you are filling out the form for an older infant that has their own Medicaid number, please put it in the space provided. If the infant has private insurance, you may leave the space blank.

To order specimen cards, please complete the on-line order form, print and fax to (404) 327-7922.

How will hospitals transport their specimens to the Georgia Public Health Laboratory?

The GPHL now provides pre-addressed United Parcel Service (UPS) labels to hospitals for shipment of specimens. Sufficient labels to enable one shipment per hospital, per day will be provided by GPHL. The shipping labels are automatically distributed quarterly to hospitals. Please call 404.327.7900 for more information. UPS shipping is only provided to hospitals.

Click here for an important memo regarding the transport of specimens.

What is the fee?

The fee is $50 for each initial specimen submitted to the Georgia Public Health Laboratory for newborn screening. The Georgia Public Health Laboratory began invoicing for newborn screening on January 1, 2007. The invoices are mailed weekly. The first specimen submitted for every infant will be billable regardless of the submitter. Additional specimens submitted will be considered “repeat specimens” and will either be invoiced or processed free of additional charge as specified in the discussion of repeat specimens, below.

Will there be a fee for a repeat newborn screen?

There will not be a fee for the following circumstances:

1. No data or no blood on Form
2. Second collection, initial specimen collected at <24 hours
3. Prior abnormal result, repeat requested by GPHL or NBS Follow-Up Program
4. GPHL Error
5. Pediatrician or other provider mandatory collection, including
   • Repeat specimen: 1st specimen taken before 24 hours
   • Repeat specimen: prior abnormal result
   • Repeat specimen: premature or low birth weight specimen at 4 weeks of age
   • Infant has had blood transfusion, 2 repeat specimens

There will be a fee for the following circumstances:

1. Prior unsatisfactory specimen from same submitter
2. General provider request, (see above exceptions)
3. Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU); > 2 specimens per infant
4. Failure to use the UPS transportation system in a timely manner resulting in specimen arrival at GPHL more than seven (7) days after collection (batching specimens, for example)

Will the Department of Community Health reimburse for infants covered by Medicaid?

Yes.

To recognize the additional costs to hospitals, the FY 2007 Appropriations Act (H.B. 1027 - Item 589) directed the Department of Community Health (DCH) to fund the Medicaid cost associated with expansion of the newborn screening program.

Hospitals billing DCH through the Medicaid fee-for-service program should submit an A1 condition code in field 24-30 of the UB-92 Newborn Claim. The $50 screening fee will be reimbursed once per member, per lifetime.

Through contractual authority, DCH will require the Medicaid Care Management Organizations (CMOs) to reimburse the hospitals for the cost of the newborn screening for those members enrolled in the Georgia Healthy Families Program.