Build Your Own RVU Calculator

Updated!  Includes 2011 Data and other new features!

To do any kind of analysis of your practice's pricing requires working with the federally mandated RBRVS System.  You either have to be a computer wiz, spend hundreds to thousands of dollars on software, or do it by hand. There is no easy solution.

If you search on-line hard enough, you can find some spreadsheet-based tools, use CMS's tool, or even use PCC's Pediatric RVU Calculator. Each of these methods has problems, however: the data is hard to follow, you can't change your own multiplier, you have a very limited CPT code set, it's difficult to get the data into a spreadsheet, or you have to be on-line, etc.

In an abundance of caution and, because in our unhappy experience, the American Medical Association interprets its rights (in our opinion) overly broadly, we built this new tool only for those of you who have a CPT license that allows for a use such as this. Five minutes of homework and you have a spreadsheet you can use at your leisure to check your pricing, measure productivity, or move your results as you see fit. Presuming that you are licensed to use the CPT codes and data from CMS (which most practicing physicians are), and your AMA or CMS license allows for this (consult your own attorney), simply follow the directions below and you're done!

Instructions

1. Download the spreadsheet from the list below. You must choose the year you wish to examine, as each year has different values and will produce different results. You must right-click on the file to download it! Otherwise, the file will open in "Read Only" mode.

2.  

   Year	OpenOffice	Excel
   2011 * NEW FEATURES	rvu-byo11.ods	rvu-byo11.xls
   2010	rvu-byo10.ods	rvu-byo10.xls
   2009	rvu-byo09.ods	rvu-byo09.xls
   2008	rvu-byo08.ods	rvu-byo08.xls
   2007	rvu-byo07.ods	rvu-byo07.xls
   2006	rvu-byo06.ods	rvu-byo06.xls
   2005	rvu-byo05.ods	rvu-byo05.xls
   2004	rvu-byo04.ods	rvu-byo04.xls
   2003	rvu-byo03.ods	rvu-byo03.xls

3. Download the right datafile from the list below based on the year you chose to work with. So, if you are looking at 2007 rates, choose the CMS data file for 2007 below. Clicking on the link will bring you to the CMS license page, which you need to confirm before they will let you download the file. After you agree to the license, the file should automatically download.

   Your click below indicates that you agree to the terms and conditions of this site and of this license. You represent and warrant that you or your employer has a valid license to use CPT codes in connection with a spreadsheet to calculate RVU.

   Year	File
   2011	RVU11C.zip
   2010	PPRRVU10_OCT_PCT22_V6.zip
   2009	RVU09AR.zip
   2008	RVU08AR.zip
   2007	rvu07B.zip
   2006	rvu06d.zip
   2005	rvu05_e.zip
   2004	rvu04_d.zip
   2003	rvu03_d.zip

4. Unzip the datafile you downloaded above and find the appropriate files within it. Those filenames are:
   

   Year File	Files
   RVU11C.zip	PPRRVU11.xlsx
   PPRRVU10_OCT_PCT22_V6.zip	PPRRVU10_OCT_PCT22_V6.xlsx
   RVU09AR.zip	PPRRVU09.xls
   RVU08AR.zip	PPRRVU08.xls
   rvu07B.zip	PPRRVU07.xls
   rvu06d.zip	PPRRVU06.xls
   rvu05_e.zip	PPRRVU05.xls
   rvu04_d.zip	pprrvu04r.xls
   rvu03_d.zip	pprrvu03.xls

5. Using your favorite spreadsheet tool (we prefer OpenOffice), copy the specific CMS file above into the tab indicated in the RVU spreadsheet you downloaded. Using 2007 as an example:
   1. Open PPRRVU07.xls. It should look something like this:
      
      
   2. "Select All" by using your menu or typing "Ctrl-A". All of the visible cells on your screen should be highlighted. Don't bother using your mouse to do this, as there are a lot of records and it's easy to miss rows or columns.
   3. Copy your selection using the menus or by typing "Ctrl-C".
   4. Open rvu-byo07. Look for the tab labeled "PPRRVU07" and click on it.
      
      
      
      You should find a largely empty spreadsheet with a little note telling you to "Paste the PPRRVU07.xls data here!"
      
      
   5. Click in the first cell (A1) and paste your data into the box using your menus or by hitting "Ctrl-V". Don't be concerned if pasting in the CPT file takes a minute or two, it's a lot of data! If you get it right, it should look something like this:
      
      
      
      <!--

Repeat the same procedure above for the
GPCI07.XLS. -->