The Use of Relative Value Scales for Provider Reimbursement in State Workers Compensation Programs

This report provides information on how other states are using Relative Value Scales, including the Resource-Based Relative Value Scale (RBRVS) used by Medicare, as part of their workers compensation programs. The authors conducted telephone surveys with officials from 20 state agencies currently using either the Medicare RBRVS or the major commercial alternative known as Relative Values for Physicians (RVP). The primary goal of the surveys was to obtain information about: (1) the state's goals in adopting a RVS, (2) why it chose a particular RVS, (3) how the RVS was implemented and (4) if the RVS appears to have achieved its goals.