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CMS-1403-FC
(iv) Contractor Pricing of CPT 77371 for stereotactic
radiosurgery (SRS) treatment delivery
CPT code 77371, Radiation treatment delivery,
stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) (complete course of
treatment of cerebral lesion(s) consisting of one session);
multi-source Cobalt 60 based, (more commonly known as Gamma
Knife) was a new CPT code for CY 2007. At that time, we
accepted nearly all of the AMA RUC PE recommendations for
this procedure (we did not accept the Cobalt 60 radiation
source as a direct PE input) during CY 2007 rulemaking, and
these recommendations are reflected in the PE RVUs for CPT
77371. The PE inputs for CPT 77371 had been proposed by
the sitting AMA RUC specialty society representing
therapeutic radiation oncology physicians. The AMA RUC
discussed and amended the specialty’s proposal for direct
PE inputs (particularly the amount of clinical labor time)
prior to agreeing on the final AMA RUC recommendation that
was forwarded to CMS for CY 2007. Due to the equipment
expense (nearly $4 million) along with the many Nuclear
Regulatory Commission (NRC) requirements for construction
of the facility required to furnish these procedures, all
but one of these facilities is connected with a hospital
setting, leaving a single free-standing nonfacility
provider.
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