§ 419.31 Ambulatory payment classification (APC) system and payment weights.

(a) APC groups. (1) CMS classifies outpatient services and procedures that are comparable clinically and in terms of resource use into APC groups. Except as specified in paragraph (a)(2) of this section, items and services within a group are not comparable with respect to the use of resources if the highest geometric mean cost for an item or service within the group is more than 2 times greater than the lowest geometric mean cost for an item or service within the group.