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ASNC Advocacy Alert: RUC Survey
Remember to look for a survey of new and revised 2020 Myocardial PET and PET-CT CPT codes in early November 2018. This survey will have a slightly different format than those in the July survey. If you are randomly selected to participate in the survey please take the time to fill out the survey.
More information about the RUC and the survey process.What is the RUC?
The American Medical Association RUC stands for the Relative Value-Scale Update Committee and it is an expert panel of physicians who recommends valuation of physician services. The RUC meets three times per year to develop its recommendations to CMS. Federal law requires CMS to review all relative values at least every five years and identify services that are likely to be misvalued on an ongoing basis. In the 2012 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Final Rule, CMS announced they would no longer use the five-year method. Rather, the agency will conduct annual reviews with the same processes for identifying codes for review.
Recent ASNC Education
ASNC members are reminded of the two recent educational webinars on myocardial PET available below. The first webinar features Drs. Marcelo Di Carli, Venkatesh Murthy, and Rob Beanlands and a discussion of differences in radiopharmaceuticals, key technical aspects about imaging protocols and the pathophysiologic implications of quantitative myocardial blood flow. The second webinar features Denise Merlino and discusses the new category III code 0482T for myocardial blood flow in PET.
PET Guideline Webinar (ASNC Learning Center, Under Online Activities)
PET Blood Flow Webinar
Who can participate in the survey?
Physicians (non-commercial) actively practicing in the US that perform these services. If you were trained and do not currently perform you may complete the survey as long as you are familiar or trained and you have performed the service in the last five years. If you are not familiar with some of the codes in the survey you may only survey the ones you ARE familiar with or you may opt out entirely.
There are a total of 8 codes in the November survey each code can take 5 to10 minutes to complete so allow enough time as this new survey does not allow you to save and to come back at a later time so plan accordingly to complete all the codes that you perform in one sitting.
If you do not understand a code or any question, please email Denise Merlino and she can take the time to talk or email you with any clarifying questions you may have.