RVU
Medical abbreviation · Health Insurance
| Stands for | Relative value unit |
|---|---|
| Categories | Medical |
RVU stands for Relative value unit, a health insurance abbreviation.
Measure used in Medicare's physician fee schedule to value services, combining three components: physician work, practice expense and malpractice insurance cost. Payment equals total RVUs, adjusted for geographic cost differences, multiplied by an annual dollar conversion factor.
Example: A level 4 established-patient visit carries about 1.9 work RVUs.
Usage notes
The resource-based relative value scale (RBRVS), developed by a team led by Harvard economist William Hsiao, took effect in Medicare in 1992. An AMA committee known as the RUC recommends values for new and revised codes, which critics say favors procedures over primary care. Many employed physicians are paid partly by work RVU productivity.
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This entry is for general education and is not medical advice. Abbreviation use varies between institutions; always confirm in context.