title: A proposed new system for valuing dental procedures. The relative time-cost unit.
abstract: The relative time cost unit (RTCU) is a proposed new system for valuing dental procedures that provides an alternative to traditional relative value units in fee-setting and reimbursement allowances. It incorporates personnel costs, task mixes, and task times into relative weights for dental procedures. The frequently performed procedure, "2-surface amalgam restoration," is used to illustrate how the RTCU values are derived from hospital task analysis data. The RTCU, as a data-based construct, holds appeal for restructuring fee schedules and has been used for almost a decade by insurance companies to value dental services, construct fee schedules, and evaluate reimbursement to providers.
authors.affiliation: International Center for Dental Health Policy, School of Dentistry, University of California, Los Angeles 90024-1668.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Marcus
authors.forename: A L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Koch
authors.forename: M H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Schoen
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Tuominen
mesh_terms: D002140:California; D003796:Dental Service, Hospital / Q000191:economics*; D006801:Humans; D015895:Relative Value Scales; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis; D013997:Time Factors