Editorial Commentary: A Rigged Game—Surgeon Reimbursement Under the Resource-Based Relative Value Scale, Current Procedural Terminology, and the Affordable Care Act

Publication Date

2020

Journal Title

Arthroscopy

Abstract

© 2020 Arthroscopy Association of North America The value of surgeon procedural work is currently determined through a fee-setting process controlled by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. This process relies on the Resource-Based Relative Value Scale (RBRVS) to advise the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services concerning surgical work reimbursement. This system and several other government policy decisions over the past 25 years have placed orthopaedic surgeons at great disadvantage in establishing and maintaining the value of orthopaedic surgical work. Continued reliance on the RBRVS will result in further reductions in surgical reimbursements and may affect patient access to orthopaedic services. Orthopaedic surgeons must consider moving away from the RBRVS and Current Procedural Terminology as a way of determining value and instead establish price as the value signal in orthopaedic medicine. Bundled-payment methodologies offer one mechanism for establishing price in the marketplace.

Volume Number

36

Issue Number

9

Pages

2364 - 2366

Document Type

Article

Status

Faculty

Facility

School of Medicine

Primary Department

Orthopedic Surgery

PMID

32442709

DOI

10.1016/j.arthro.2020.05.010

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