Billing

Investigators are charged for:

•   Services
•  Supplies
•  Animal husbandry
•  Animal care charges
•  Animal purchase charges
• Special services
• Transportation 

Monthly charges for departmental accounts are interdepartmentally transferred by the accounting department.  Account number changes should be sent via email or campus mail and will be reflected on  the next statement.  Laboratory Animal Resources operates on a cost recovery basis. Per Diems are calculated based on the Cost Analysis and Rate Setting Manual for Animal Research Facilities produced by the National Institute of  Health.  They include:     

• feed (unless otherwise specified)
• bedding
• expendable supplies
• labor
• caging equipment
• equipment wear 

Per Diem costs do not recover veterinary medical costs, technical costs, or special research design requirements beyond standard LAR set up.  Per Diems costs will be reviewed annually. 

Bar-Coded cage cards and per diem charges

When an animal order is received computerized cage card are generated for each cage (mice) or for each individual animal. The information included on each card is the principle investigator name, protocol number, account information, location, type of species, and a bar code for billing purposes. Mice breeding colony cards reflect birth date, s/s/b, along with some information on parents.  Per Diem charges for new animals will begin the day that the animals arrive, and billing ceases when the card is turned into the facility manager after the animal is terminated.  Additional Cage Card Request Cards should be filled out by the investigator or a member of the team when an additional cage(s) are needed (e.g. animals weaned, animal that must be separated because of fighting, breeding pairs that are isolated, etc). The request card should be given to the facility supervisor or member of the LAR fulltime staff. 

Submission of the bar coded cage card for deletion from the investigator’s billing inventory is the sole responsibility of the investigator and/or the investigative staff.  As long as the card is active in the system, LAR will continue to bill for the animal or the cage of animals. 

The most common problem and obstacle to accurate billing is the disappearance of the computerized (barcoded) cage cards. When this occurs the card does not get scanned out until the monthly audit and the investigator gets billed for the complete month.  Cards most often disappear when:

•       The computer card is used to record data and the card is kept for investigative records
•      The computer card is thrown away rather than turned into LAR for deletion
•       Cages are transported to another room or facility with the card
•      The card is left somewhere other than the designated cage card deletion collection points.

Billing

 Investigators are charged for services, supplies, and animal care on a monthly basis.  Animal care charges, animal purchase charges, special services, transportation and supply purchases are itemized on each statement. Monthly charges for departmental accounts are interdepartmentally transferred by the accounting department. Account number changes should be sent via email or campus mail, and will be reflected on the next statement.