Internal Medicine Coding Alert
Calculating Medicare Payments From RVUs and GPCIs
Published on Sun Jul 01, 2001 
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By definition, geographic practice cost indices (GPCIs) differ from region to region. Here is an example of how a single-view chest x-ray would be calculated in Kentucky.
Procedure: A chest x-ray (71010-26), performed in a facility (hospital-based); transitional for 2001 (see chart)
To calculate the actual fee schedule amount for a single view of the chest, multiple the GPCI-corrected total RVU by the national conversion factor of $38.2581. This reveals that the anticipated Medicare payment would equal $9.33 in 2001.
The HCFA file (see insert for link) contains a complete listing of the 2001 GPCIs by Medicare carrier and locality.
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Example of 2001 National Physician Fee Schedule Relative Value File
CPT Codes and descriptions are copyright 2001 American Medical Association. All Rights Reserved. Applicable FARS/DFARS Apply. [...]
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