Session Description
Per the AMA, The RUC’s annual cycle for developing recommendations is closely coordinated with both the CPT Editorial Panel’s schedule for annual code revisions and the CMS schedule for annual updates in the Medicare Payment Schedule. The Editorial Panel meets three times a year to consider coding changes for the next year’s edition. The RUC meets after the Editorial Panel meetings to consider relative value codes that are changed or added by the Editorial Panel.
CMS publishes the annual update to the Medicare RVS in the Federal Register every year, at about the same time that the AMA publishes the new CPT book for the coming year. The updated CPT codes and relative values go into effect annually on January 1.
Typically, the RUC Meetings occur in April, October, and January. To check meeting dates and locations, see the AMA website.
Some of the latest codes in various stages of this process over the 2020/2021 time frame include: BAHA, Posterior Nasal Nerve Ablation, Percutaneous Tracheostomy, Completion Thyroidectomy, Nasal Bone Fracture Repair and DISE.
Session Objectives
After attending this activity, attendees will be able to:
1. Discuss RUC process from CPT to Medicare Payment Schedule
2. Explain how codes are valued 3. List the latest codes currently undergoing this process and how they are being valued