Medicare’s final valuations were lower than specialty societies’ initial recommendations for 39.9% of physician services examined in a study published Sept. 1 in JAMA Network Open.
Here are five things to know:
- Researchers examined 2,173 Relative Value Scale Update Committee recommendations covering 1,934 unique CPT codes from 2004 to 2025, excluding 2011 and 2012.
- The RUC left 1,664 specialty society proposals unchanged, or 76.6%. Among its 509 adjustments, 482, or 94.7%, were devaluations.
- CMS left 1,436 RUC proposals unchanged, or 66.1%. Of its 737 adjustments, 488, or 66.2%, were devaluations and 249, or 33.8%, were upvaluations.
- From specialty societies’ initial proposals through CMS’ final valuations, 1,114 recommendations, or 51.3%, were unchanged; 846, or 39.9%, were devalued; and 213, or 9.8%, were upvalued.
- Devaluation rates varied by specialty. Anesthesiology had a devaluation rate of 83.3%, while neurosurgery had a rate of 77.8%.
