What is the Specialty Society Relative Value Scale Update Committee (RUC)?

The Specialty Society Relative Value Scale Update Committee (RUC)  of the American Medical Association (AMA) is made up of physicians who suggest recommendations to the federal government on medical services. The RUC was founded in 1992 when Medicare transitioned from a physical payment system based on RBRVS (resource-based relative value scale.) The AMA created this multispecialty committee to account for the expected changes.

The RUC consists of a panel of 32 volunteer physicians and over 300 physician advisors, experts representing each medicine sector (primary care physicians and specialists,) and healthcare professionals. The RUC aims to be inclusive in representing the entire medical profession, with 22 of its 32 members appointed by major national medical specialty societies.

The RUC includes four seats that rotate on a two-year basis. Two seats are reserved for a representative with an internal medicine subspecialty. The additional two are for a primary care representative and another specialty of any kind. To ensure the RUC is acting on transparency, efficiency, accuracy, and accessibility, all meeting dates, recommendations, meeting minutes, and the vote totals for all services that have been evaluated are published on the AMA website.

The purpose of RUC is to advocate for the resources required by physician services. These recommendations are then taken into consideration by CMS (Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services) when developing RVUs (Relative Value Units). The resources considered when making recommendations include medical supplies and equipment, physicians’ work (intensity and the time associated with a service,) professional liability insurance, and clinical staff time.

In lieu of this, the RUC frequently reviews medical services to decide whether they are overvalued, undervalued, and appropriate. All these recommendations are considered by CMS when they make final decisions about what payments should be for each service under the Medicare program.

The RUC serves as a vital communication tool for the federal government, ensuring that the voice of the medical profession is heard. Sharing these recommendations with CMS is a crucial step in advocating on behalf of medical professionals and doctors who use these services during daily patient care. While the RUC is not required to submit recommendations and CMS is not required to accept them, the fact that the government is implementing policies that align with current medical standards and practices is a testament to the RUC’s influence.

If you’re interested in learning more about the RUC and their work, please visit the American Medical Association website  to learn more.