When a laboratory for medical biology analyses is not able to perform a medical biology analysis for technical and quality reasons, they send the biological samples to another laboratory either in Luxembourg, in a country of the European Union (EU), the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland, in order for the samples to be analysed and interpreted.
The laboratory which transmits an analysis to a laboratory based in another Member State and which does not have an identification number (provider code) with the CNS must fill out a standard form to declare themselves as a collaboration laboratory with the CNS.
Based on the information provided, the CNS assigns a code for the laboratory based abroad and communicates this code to the approved laboratories electronically. This code is provided by the transmitting laboratory in the billing data file.
Coverage of analyses transmitted to a laboratory based in a country outside of the EU, the EEA or Switzerland is subject to prior authorisation from the National Health Fund (Caisse nationale de santé) following assent from the Medical Board of the Social Security (Contrôle médical de la sécurité sociale).