Proper (compliant) billing practices for complicated serologic work ups for neonates

A blood bank technologist wonders what is the correct (compliant) way to bill for work done on behalf of a neonate with a complicated serologic problem if completing the work up requires that samples be collected from the neonate as well as their mother and father, and possibly even from their siblings. Testing might include ABO/Rh and other antigen typings for multiple family members, antibody detection and identification for the mother and her neonate, crossmatching, direct antiglobulin tests, elution studies, etc. Is it appropriate to bill all of the work done to the neonate's account, since all of the testing is intended to establish a correct diagnosis for the neonate and to select the best matched blood products for transfusion? Or, for the sake of compliance, is it necessary to bill each individual for the work done on their respective samples? Does the billing strategy depend on the Medicare status of the patient, or if there is a private third party payor?

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