National Reference Cost Index

National Reference Cost Index

A single index which compares the average cost of the casemix of each NHS trust with the cost of that casemix based on average unit costs. The index is used to rank trusts by their casemix and set unit cost targets for NHS providers. A trust with an NRCI of 100 has costs equal to the national average (NA); a trust with an index of 110 costs 10% more than the NA, and one with an index of 90 costs 10% less. The index is used for Payment by Results, under which a trust will only be paid the national average cost for a procedure, thus incentivising efficiency (and cost-cutting).