Glossary

A schedule of values assigned to health care services which give weight to procedures based upon resources needed by the provider to effectively deliver the service or perform that procedure. Unlike other relative value scales, RBRVS ignores historical charges and includes factors such as time, effort, technical skill, practice cost, and training cost. Established as part of the Omnibus Reconciliation Act of 1989, Medicare payment rules for physician services were altered by establishing an RBRVS fee schedule. This payment methodology has three components: a relative value for each procedure, a geographic adjustment factor, and a dollar conversion factor. This payment methodology has three components: a relative value for each procedure, a geographic adjustment factor, and a dollar conversion factor. A Medicare weighting system to assign units of value to each CPT code (procedure) performed by physicians and other providers.