Necropsy Adjustment

Implementation Date: 06/10/2009

Date of Last Revision: 05/16/2022

Next Review Due: 05/15/2024

Reviewed by VTH Administrative Team: 03/13; 01/18

Reviewed by VTH Board: 03/2013

Reviewed by Legal Counsel: N/A

Reviewed by Biosecurity Subcommittee: N/A

Subject to modification by the VTH Director without approval.

Policy

The College of Veterinary Medicine commits annual funds to the Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory to subsidize necropsy evaluations for clients of the Veterinary Teaching Hospital (VTH) in order to enhance teaching, scholarship, and service. Funding is provided to defray the cost of necropsies to encourage clients to permit necropsies on their animals. Funding is evaluated annually, and new funds are allocated for the new fiscal year.

The adjustment amount of a necropsy charge is dependent upon available funds and may be as great as the full amount of the necropsy. The Director of the VDL, in consultation with the VTH Director and College leadership, will determine the current adjustment rate which may change as funds are depleted. Necropsy funds are not to be used for the care of an animal’s remains or disposal*.

Guidelines

The following criteria MUST be met for funds to be used to subsidize a necropsy evaluation through the VTH:

• The animal is a current patient of the VTH. For the purposes of this policy, ‘current’ implies that the patient has been seen through a VTH service within the past 6 months. Exceptions may be sought and require VTH administrative approval prior to the use of funds.
• The necropsy evaluation MUST have the potential to provide a meaningful teaching/learning opportunity for College students, interns, residents, or other personnel.
• This funding will not provide for coverage of costs associated with the disposal of remains; these costs will be the client’s responsibility.

This funding will be allocated among VTH services, based on historical need, for use at their discretion for this purpose. Full or partial coverage of costs may be provided to the client. Once a service has exhausted the funds allocated to the service for necropsy subsidy, the Service Head may inquire if there is additional funding from the VTH Director; however, a service may not exceed the funds allocated to the service without prior approval from VTH administration. The allocation of funds will be evaluated on a yearly basis.

Procedure (if applicable)

• The Service Head determines that necropsy funds are available for the service.
• The appropriate necropsy charge must be entered in the Health Information System (HIS), along with charges associated with the patient’s care of remains. 
• A Euthanasia/Care of Remains Authorization and Release Form is completed to indicate that a necropsy has been requested.
• The Euthanasia/Care of Remains Authorization and Release Form is presented to a member of the Client Services Team. Necropsy Adjustment Category: Billing VTH Policy # Bill308
• The Cashier III or designed staff member in Client Services will process an adjustment in the HIS to remove the cost of the necropsy (or other amounts as indicated) as requested from the service from the client’s account. The client is responsible for costs associated with the care of remains (disposal, cremation, etc.).
• The cost of the necropsy should be adjusted using the appropriate Discount Budget File (DBF) code for the service area requesting the necropsy.

* WMC are exempt from disposal guidelines, and adjustments on disposals are allowed.

Definitions (if applicable)

Necropsy Adjustment: An adjustment to the client’s bill is made by transferring a portion of the cost of a teaching necropsy to the appropriate necropsy adjustment fund.

Veterinary Teaching Hospital (VTH) – The collective clinical services of the Large Animal Clinic, Midwest Equine, the Small Animal Clinic, and the Veterinary Medicine South Clinic.