The Department of Industrial Relations’ (DIR) Division of Workers’ Compensation (DWC) is seeking public input on payment ground rule topics as it moves forward with developing a Resource Based Relative Value Scale (RBRVS).

Senate Bill 863 directs DWC’s administrative director to adopt a physician fee schedule based upon the federal RBRVS used in the Medicare payment system. In the RBRVS-based system, relative value units interact with payment ground rules and the conversion factor to determine the maximum fee in light of the resources to provide the service. SB 863 provides that the physician fee schedule shall include payment ground rules that differ from Medicare, including, as appropriate, payment of consultation codes as well as payment of evaluation and management services provided during a global period of surgery. The division is seeking public input on which ground rules should differ from Medicare in the new fee schedule and why.

The forum can be found by clicking the “current forums” link on the top of the DWC forums page.

Comments will be accepted at the forum through Feb. 8, 2013. Please feel free to participate in this important process.