System of national uniform relative values for all physicians’ services. It ranks physician services and procedures by units that provide a formula to determine an annual Medicare fee schedule. Relative value units (RVUs) are based on the physicians’ work RVU, practice expense RVU, and cost of professional liability insurance RVU (see Figure R-1 ). RVUs are adjusted for each Medicare local fiscal agent by geographical practice cost indices. A conversion factor is used to convert a geographically adjusted relative value into a payment amount. Also called resource-based relative value unit (RBRVU) and synonymous with Medicare fee schedule . Formula used to calculate the fee for a specific procedure using the resource-based relative value scale system. CPT, Current Procedural Terminology; GPCI, geographical practice cost indices; HCPCS, Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System; RVUs, relative value units.