Question

determine by which of the following means a practice may receive a \self-refer.\

multiple choice

the patient cannot self refer.

the patient requests a referral number from their physician and gives it to the practice.

the patient is issued a referral number from their health plan.

the patient comes for specialty care without a referral number when one is required.

Explanation:

Define self-referral in medical billing

In healthcare administration, a "self-referral" occurs when a patient seeks specialist care directly without obtaining a formal referral from their primary care physician (PCP) first. This is a key concept related to the Medical Referral Document process.

Analyze the options

• Option 1 states the patient cannot self-refer, which is incorrect because patients can choose to do so, though it affects insurance coverage.
• Option 2 describes a standard physician referral process.
• Option 3 describes a referral authorized directly by the health plan.
• Option 4 states that the patient comes for specialty care without a referral number when one is required, which perfectly matches the administrative definition of a self-referral.

Answer:

• (A) The patient cannot self refer.
• (B) The patient requests a referral number from their physician and gives it to the practice.
• (C) The patient is issued a referral number from their health plan.
• (D) The patient comes for specialty care without a referral number when one is required. (Correct answer)