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    Quality-Adjusted Life Year

    Outcome metric combining length and quality of life used in HTA.

    Reviewed by Christian Espinosa, Founder, Blue Goat CyberLast reviewed May 5, 2026

    Definition

    A QALY equals one year of life in perfect health. HTA bodies use cost-per-QALY thresholds (NICE: £20–30K) to judge cost-effectiveness. The U.S. ICER applies similar methodology informally.

    What this means in practice

    Widely used outside the U.S. The U.S. has restricted use of QALYs in Medicare coverage decisions for certain age and disability populations.

    Primary references

    3 sources
    Link health: 1 verified 1 bot-blocked 1 needs review· last checked 2026-05-09
    NICE·1CMS·1AMA·1
    1. 1
      NICE methods manual
      Verified
      NICEnice.org.uk
    2. 2
      CMS - Coding
      Needs review
      CMScms.gov
    3. 3
      AMA CPT Resources
      Bot-blocked
      AMAama-assn.org

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