Please note that this information is historical and is to be used for informational purposes only.  We have discontinued the use of the risk adjusted cost index (RACI) to determine eligibility for the BlueChoice Solutions High Performance Network until national standards are more clear and we assess our alternatives.

The Medical Episode Grouper classifies disease-specific episodes of care based on organ system, etiology, and severity of illness. There are 593 homogeneous Medical Episode Groups.

• Gonnella, JS, Louis DZ, McCord, JJ. The staging concept: An approach to the assessment of outcome of ambulatory care. Medical Care, 1976: 14:13-21.
  
• Gonnella JS, Hornbrook MC, and Louis DZ. Staging of Disease: A Case-Mix Measurement. Journal of the American Medical Association, 1984; 251: 637-644