VA RVU Calculator
The VA RVU Calculator converts VA physician CPT codes into Work RVU, Practice Expense RVU, and Malpractice RVU using 2026 CMS Medicare Physician Fee Schedule data. VA physicians are employed by the Department of Veterans Affairs and do not bill Medicare directly - VA physician productivity is measured in wRVUs for purposes of performance evaluation, staffing analysis, and compensation benchmarking. The VHA uses wRVU data from VSSC (Veterans Affairs Support Service Center) and compares VA physician productivity to MGMA and national benchmarks. Built on 2026 CMS Medicare Physician Fee Schedule data with conversion factor $33.40.
VA RVU Calculator Pro
VA physicians code clinical services using standard AMA CPT codes captured in CPRS (Computerized Patient Record System) and VistA. These CPT-coded services generate wRVU values per the CMS Physician Fee Schedule. The VHA uses these wRVU totals for productivity analysis, full-time equivalent (FTE) staffing, and comparison against MGMA national benchmarks. VA compensation is governed by Title 38 and the VHA physician pay scale, not the Medicare fee schedule - but wRVU values from this calculator can be used for VA productivity benchmarking.
Ready to Calculate
Enter a CPT code to calculate VA physician wRVUs and estimated Medicare equivalent payment
VA Physician CPT Codes - Work RVU Reference
VA physicians code services using standard AMA CPT codes across primary care, specialty care, surgery, and mental health. These wRVU values are used by the VHA for physician productivity reporting in VSSC and comparison to MGMA national benchmarks by specialty. Click any bar to load the CPT code.
Click any bar to load the CPT code into the VA RVU Calculator above
How to Use the VA RVU Calculator
4 steps to calculate VA physician wRVUs and benchmark productivity against MGMA and VHA national standards.
Enter VA Physician CPT Code
Search by code or description. VA physicians use standard AMA CPT codes captured in CPRS/VistA. Primary care codes (99213, 99214), mental health codes (90837), hospital codes (99221-99233), and surgical codes all generate wRVU credit in VSSC reporting.
Select VA Medical Center or Outpatient Clinic
Use VA Medical Center (Facility) for inpatient or hospital-based services. Use VA Outpatient Clinic (Non-Facility) for community-based outpatient clinics (CBOCs) and primary care clinics. Setting affects the Practice Expense RVU used in the calculation.
Calculate Daily and Annual wRVU Production
Enter the number of units to calculate total wRVUs for a full clinic day or inpatient service period. The VHA uses annual wRVU totals per physician FTE for VSSC productivity reporting and comparison to MGMA benchmarks by specialty.
Compare to VHA and MGMA Benchmarks
Use the bulk calculator to analyze a full week of VA clinical services. Compare projected annual wRVU production to VHA targets and MGMA national specialty benchmarks used for VA physician compensation and staffing decisions.
VA Physician RVU by CPT Code
Search and sort all CPT codes by Work RVU, category, and description. VA physicians generate wRVUs across primary care, specialty care, mental health, and surgical services - all coded using standard AMA CPT codes per VHA coding guidelines.
| Code ↑ | Description ↕ | Category ↕ | wRVU ↕ | PE RVU | MP RVU | Total |
|---|
VA Physician wRVU Bulk Calculator
The VHA measures physician productivity in wRVUs per FTE and compares to MGMA national specialty benchmarks. VA primary care physicians target 4,000-5,500 wRVUs/year. VA mental health providers vary by service type. VA surgical specialists generate wRVU volumes comparable to community practice at MGMA 50th-75th percentile. Use the bulk calculator to project annual VA physician wRVU production.
VA Bulk wRVU Analysis
Enter multiple CPT codes and volumes to calculate total wRVU output for a VA physician service line. Compare results to VHA productivity targets and MGMA benchmarks to identify productivity gaps or opportunities.
Enter VA CPT Codes to Begin
Add CPT codes and visit counts on the left, then click Calculate All
VA Physician wRVU Benchmarks
The VHA uses VSSC (Veterans Affairs Support Service Center) to track physician wRVU production and compares to MGMA national benchmarks. VA physicians at major VA Medical Centers tend to produce wRVUs closer to MGMA 50th-75th percentile. Community-Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOCs) may show lower productivity due to access limitations and administrative burden.
VA Physician wRVU Benchmarks by Service Line
3,800-5,200 wRVUs/year. VA primary care panel size averages 1,200-1,500 patients with a mix of complex veterans requiring longer visit times and higher E&M level coding.
4,000-5,500 wRVUs/year. VA psychiatrists see high volumes of PTSD, TBI, and depression diagnoses. High-complexity E&M visits (99214-99215) and combined E&M + psychotherapy codes.
4,500-6,000 wRVUs/year. VA inpatient census management using 99221-99233 codes. Veterans often have higher comorbidity burden, driving higher-level subsequent care coding (99233).
8,000-12,000 wRVUs/year. VA surgical programs cover orthopedic surgery, general surgery, urology, and cardiothoracic surgery with wRVU production comparable to MGMA 50th-75th percentile.
The VHA uses wRVU data for physician workforce planning, staffing allocation, and comparison to community standards. VA compensation under Title 38 is based on physician market pay rates rather than direct wRVU-based incentive compensation, but wRVU production data informs staffing and FTE decisions across VA medical centers and CBOCs.
VA RVU Calculator - Frequently Asked Questions
How do VA physicians generate wRVUs if they don't bill Medicare?
VA physicians are employed by the federal government and provide care to veterans. VA clinical services are not billed to Medicare or private payers - the VA is funded directly through Congressional appropriations. However, VA physicians code all clinical services using standard AMA CPT codes in CPRS (Computerized Patient Record System). The VHA's VSSC (Veterans Affairs Support Service Center) system captures these CPT codes and calculates wRVU values using CMS Physician Fee Schedule relative values for productivity analysis, staffing, and benchmarking.
How does VA physician compensation compare to private practice?
VA physician compensation is governed by Title 38 authority and the VA Physician Pay Scale, which sets base pay and market pay components. VHA physician pay rates are benchmarked against community physician market salaries (typically at MGMA 50th-75th percentile) to maintain competitiveness. Unlike private practice, VA physician compensation is not directly tied to wRVU production - VA physicians receive salary compensation without productivity-based bonuses tied to wRVU. Federal benefits (pension, FEHB, life insurance) supplement VA physician compensation significantly.
What is VSSC and how does it track VA physician productivity?
VSSC (Veterans Affairs Support Service Center) is the VHA's data analytics and reporting system. VSSC captures CPT code data from CPRS/VistA and calculates physician wRVU production using CMS Physician Fee Schedule relative values. VA medical center leadership uses VSSC data to compare physician productivity to national VA averages and MGMA benchmarks by specialty. VSSC reports show wRVU production per physician FTE, per clinic day, and by service line for workforce planning decisions.
How does VA physician productivity compare to MGMA benchmarks?
Studies comparing VA physician productivity to MGMA benchmarks have found that VA physicians generally produce wRVUs at the MGMA 25th-50th percentile range. Primary care VA physicians often produce fewer wRVUs than community counterparts due to longer visit times for complex veterans, administrative requirements, and panel management complexity. VA surgical specialists tend to have productivity closer to MGMA median benchmarks. The productivity gap is partially offset by VA physician benefits and work-life balance considerations.
What CPT codes do VA primary care physicians most commonly use?
VA primary care physicians most commonly bill: Established patient office visits (99213, 99214, 99215) for routine primary care, annual wellness visits for veterans, and chronic disease management. Preventive medicine codes (99386-99387, 99396-99397) for annual comprehensive health evaluations. Care management codes (99490, 99491) for complex panel management. Telephone and telehealth E&M codes (99441-99443 or 99202-99215 with telehealth POS) for virtual care encounters. The VA telehealth program is one of the largest in the US, generating significant telehealth wRVU production.
How are VA mental health providers measured in wRVUs?
VA psychiatrists and psychologists generate wRVUs through psychiatric evaluation codes (90791, 90792), psychotherapy codes (90832, 90834, 90837), combined E&M plus psychotherapy codes (99214+90833), and group therapy codes (90853). VA has one of the largest mental health provider workforces in the US, serving high-prevalence conditions including PTSD (CPT 90834 for PE-focused therapy), depression, TBI, and substance use disorders. VA mental health productivity targets typically compare to MGMA psychiatry and psychology benchmarks.
Start Using the VA RVU Calculator
Calculate VA physician wRVUs for primary care, mental health, hospital medicine, and surgical services. Benchmark VA physician productivity against MGMA national standards using 2026 CMS Medicare Physician Fee Schedule data. Free - no login required.
Calculate VA RVUs Now