--- title: Blog | insurance labs description: insurance labs | --- [![Strategical Medial Consult](https://www.strategicmedconsulting.com/hs-fs/file-18370982-jpg/images/fb-logo.jpg "Strategical Medial Consult")](https://www.strategicmedconsulting.com/) ## [“Blood in the urine” as an insurance lab related underwriting error](https://www.strategicmedconsulting.com/blog/bid/121771/Blood-in-the-urine-as-an-insurance-lab-related-underwriting-error) Posted by [Jack Cotlar, M.D.](https://www.strategicmedconsulting.com/blog/author/jack-cotlar-md) on Wed, Mar 28, 2012 @ 03:04 PM - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) ![describe the image](https://www.strategicmedconsulting.com/hs-fs/file-18131528-jpg/images/dreamstimefree_181651.jpg?width=115&height=164&name=dreamstimefree_181651.jpg)Here’s the scenario. You as the writing agent receive unexpected bad news from the life insurance carrier’s underwriter. The underwriter says that the insurance lab showed blood in the urine so another sample will be needed from your client or that a rating will be placed on the case. Is this an appropriate underwriting action? Well … maybe yes, but often no. The initial test on the urine is a screening chemical analysis for blood. A positive result for blood is simply a color change due to oxidation of a test-strip reagent but it does not confirm that red blood cells are present. Confirmation that there are red blood cells present in the urine is made by using a microscope to look for them. If the microscopic evaluation does not show a significant number of red blood cells, then the urine would NOT be positive for urinary blood. In sum, the diagnosis of microhematuria (blood in the urine not visible with the naked eye) should not be made from the results of only a dipstick result. Unless red blood cells are seen microscopically, the term *hematuria* or *microhematuria *is inappropriate. Many individuals with a positive “dipstick” blood test are labeled as having dipstick urinary blood cells although microscopic analysis would show that red blood cells are absent. 0 Comments [Click here to read/write comments](https://www.strategicmedconsulting.com/blog/bid/121771/Blood-in-the-urine-as-an-insurance-lab-related-underwriting-error#comments-listing) Topics: [rating](https://www.strategicmedconsulting.com/blog/topic/rating), [microhematuria](https://www.strategicmedconsulting.com/blog/topic/microhematuria), [insurance labs](https://www.strategicmedconsulting.com/blog/topic/insurance-labs), [hematuria](https://www.strategicmedconsulting.com/blog/topic/hematuria) [All posts](https://www.strategicmedconsulting.com/blog/all) ### Subscribe by Email ### Latest Posts ### Browse by Tag - [application (1)](https://www.strategicmedconsulting.com/blog/topic/application) - [attending physician statement (1)](https://www.strategicmedconsulting.com/blog/topic/attending-physician-statement) - [BNP (1)](https://www.strategicmedconsulting.com/blog/topic/bnp) - [Breast cancer (1)](https://www.strategicmedconsulting.com/blog/topic/breast-cancer) - [Cancer (1)](https://www.strategicmedconsulting.com/blog/topic/cancer) - [carrier (1)](https://www.strategicmedconsulting.com/blog/topic/carrier) - [case management (2)](https://www.strategicmedconsulting.com/blog/topic/case-management) - [communicate (2)](https://www.strategicmedconsulting.com/blog/topic/communicate) - [communicating to the underwriter (1)](https://www.strategicmedconsulting.com/blog/topic/communicating-to-the-underwriter) - [diabetes (1)](https://www.strategicmedconsulting.com/blog/topic/diabetes) - [Dr. Cotlar (6)](https://www.strategicmedconsulting.com/blog/topic/dr-cotlar) - [Dr. Jack Cotlar (2)](https://www.strategicmedconsulting.com/blog/topic/dr-jack-cotlar) - [Errors in medical records (1)](https://www.strategicmedconsulting.com/blog/topic/errors-in-medical-records) - [experienced producer (1)](https://www.strategicmedconsulting.com/blog/topic/experienced-producer) - [hematuria (1)](https://www.strategicmedconsulting.com/blog/topic/hematuria) - [insurance labs (1)](https://www.strategicmedconsulting.com/blog/topic/insurance-labs) - [Insurance medical underwriting (2)](https://www.strategicmedconsulting.com/blog/topic/insurance-medical-underwriting) - [life insurance (1)](https://www.strategicmedconsulting.com/blog/topic/life-insurance) - [life insurance marketplace (1)](https://www.strategicmedconsulting.com/blog/topic/life-insurance-marketplace) - [Life insurance medical underwriting (7)](https://www.strategicmedconsulting.com/blog/topic/life-insurance-medical-underwriting) - [medical records (2)](https://www.strategicmedconsulting.com/blog/topic/medical-records) - [medical underwriting (4)](https://www.strategicmedconsulting.com/blog/topic/medical-underwriting) - [medical underwriting guidelines (1)](https://www.strategicmedconsulting.com/blog/topic/medical-underwriting-guidelines) - [medical undewriting (3)](https://www.strategicmedconsulting.com/blog/topic/medical-undewriting) - [MIB (2)](https://www.strategicmedconsulting.com/blog/topic/mib) - [microhematuria (1)](https://www.strategicmedconsulting.com/blog/topic/microhematuria) - [music (1)](https://www.strategicmedconsulting.com/blog/topic/music) - [rating (3)](https://www.strategicmedconsulting.com/blog/topic/rating) - [social media (1)](https://www.strategicmedconsulting.com/blog/topic/social-media) - [Straegic Medical Consulting (1)](https://www.strategicmedconsulting.com/blog/topic/straegic-medical-consulting) - [Strategic Medical Consulting (5)](https://www.strategicmedconsulting.com/blog/topic/strategic-medical-consulting) - [substandard case (1)](https://www.strategicmedconsulting.com/blog/topic/substandard-case) - [Underwriter (1)](https://www.strategicmedconsulting.com/blog/topic/underwriter) - [Underwriting (2)](https://www.strategicmedconsulting.com/blog/topic/underwriting) - [underwriting assessment (1)](https://www.strategicmedconsulting.com/blog/topic/underwriting-assessment) - [underwriting dilemma (1)](https://www.strategicmedconsulting.com/blog/topic/underwriting-dilemma) - [underwriting for life insurance (1)](https://www.strategicmedconsulting.com/blog/topic/underwriting-for-life-insurance) - [underwriting glitch (1)](https://www.strategicmedconsulting.com/blog/topic/underwriting-glitch) - [underwriting laboratory test (1)](https://www.strategicmedconsulting.com/blog/topic/underwriting-laboratory-test) ### Follow Me © 2018. 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