CPT code 71048: Chest X-ray, four or more views2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in California
Reports a chest radiographic examination with at least four views, selected when the ordered study requires more projections than the three-view level.
Medicare pays $48.07–$60.79 for 71048 in the office in California, from Chico, CA to San Benito County, CA. Which amount applies depends on the service address.
Medicare allowed amount for participating (non-QP) physicians, before deductible, coinsurance and claim adjustments. Not a patient’s bill or a hospital charge.
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On this page 9 sections
What 71048 covers
This code describes a chest radiographic study that includes four or more views, meaning distinct projections of the chest rather than simply multiple images of one projection. A radiologic technologist typically acquires the images in an outpatient imaging department, hospital, or office; a radiologist or other qualified physician interprets them and documents the findings. The ordering clinician may request additional projections to evaluate a particular chest concern.
Select the code from the number of views performed, not from the diagnosis or the number of images produced. The order, imaging record, and interpretation should support a chest study with at least four views. Medicare recognizes separately priced professional and technical components: modifier 26 reports the interpretation, modifier TC reports the equipment and staff, and billing without either modifier represents the global service, including both portions.
This summary was written with AI assistance from CMS physician fee schedule data and checked against the CMS billing rules shown here. Rates on this page come directly from CMS files.
Where 71048 pays more and less in California
The same RVUs, adjusted for each area’s costs. Open a locality for its calculation, history and nearby areas.
29 payment localities
$48.07 to $60.79
29 of 29 payment localities
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Bakersfield, CA | $48.16 | Unavailable |
| Chico, CA | $48.07 | Unavailable |
| El Centro, CA | $48.07 | Unavailable |
| Fresno, CA | $48.07 | Unavailable |
| Hanford, CA | $48.07 | Unavailable |
| Los Angeles, CA | $51.40 | Unavailable |
| Madera, CA | $48.07 | Unavailable |
| Marin County, CA | $59.47 | Unavailable |
| Merced, CA | $48.07 | Unavailable |
| Modesto, CA | $48.07 | Unavailable |
| Napa, CA | $56.06 | Unavailable |
| Oxnard, CA | $51.19 | Unavailable |
| Redding, CA | $48.07 | Unavailable |
| Rest of California | $48.07 | Unavailable |
| Riverside, CA | $48.39 | Unavailable |
| Sacramento, CA | $50.54 | Unavailable |
| Salinas, CA | $50.35 | Unavailable |
| San Benito County, CA | $60.79 | Unavailable |
| San Diego, CA | $51.61 | Unavailable |
| San Francisco, CA | $59.44 | Unavailable |
| San Luis Obispo, CA | $49.53 | Unavailable |
| Santa Clara County, CA | $60.65 | Unavailable |
| Santa Cruz, CA | $52.16 | Unavailable |
| Santa Maria, CA | $50.56 | Unavailable |
| Santa Rosa, CA | $52.69 | Unavailable |
| Stockton, CA | $48.07 | Unavailable |
| Vallejo, CA | $56.01 | Unavailable |
| Visalia, CA | $48.07 | Unavailable |
| Yuba City, CA | $48.07 | Unavailable |
How the 71048 rate is calculated
Each of 71048’s three RVUs is multiplied by a geographic index (GPCI) for the payment locality, added up, and multiplied by the conversion factor. Drag the indexes or enter a ZIP to see what moves the rate.
How the rate is built · 71048
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work0.30
0.30 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense1.02
1.02 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice0.03
0.03 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
1.3500
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$45.09
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 71048
The CMS indicators that decide how 71048 is paid alongside other services.
CMS payment indicators · 71048
Chest X-ray, four or more views
| Rule | CMS value | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Global period | XXX | The global surgery concept doesn’t apply. |
| Multiple procedures | 0 | No multiple-procedure reduction. |
| Bilateral (modifier 50) | 0 | The 150% bilateral adjustment doesn’t apply. |
| Assistant at surgery (80/81/82/AS) | 0 | Not paid without supporting documentation. |
| Co-surgeons (62) | 0 | Not permitted. |
| Team surgery (66) | 0 | Not permitted. |
| Professional/technical | 1 | Diagnostic test with separate professional (26) and technical (TC) components. |
What modifiers do to the payment
Modifier 26 · payment effect
With and without the modifier
71048 without 26 · national office
$45.09
Chest X-ray, four or more views
71048-26 · Professional component
$14.70
Pays only the interpretation and report.
71048 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
4 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 71045Chest X-raySingle view
- 71045 is the one-view chest study; 71048 requires at least four distinct views.
- 71046Chest X-rayTwo views
- 71046 applies to a two-view chest study, while 71048 applies when four or more views are performed.
- 71047Chest X-rayThree views
- 71047 covers three chest views. Choose 71048 when the examination includes a fourth view or more.
71048 billing questions
When should a biller choose 71048 instead of 71047?
Use 71048 when the chest examination includes four or more views. Use 71047 when it includes three views; the performed view count distinguishes the levels.
Do multiple images of one projection count as multiple views?
No. The code level follows the number of distinct radiographic projections, not the number of image files or exposures.
What do modifiers 26 and TC represent for this code?
Modifier 26 identifies the physician's professional interpretation. Modifier TC identifies the technical service, including equipment and staff; without either modifier, the claim represents the global service.
What documentation supports reporting 71048?
The imaging documentation should establish that four or more chest views were obtained, and the interpreting provider should document the findings. The order and report should correspond to the chest examination performed.
Can the professional and technical portions be billed separately?
Yes. CMS separately prices the professional and technical components for this diagnostic test when reported with modifiers 26 and TC, respectively.
Where these rates come from
FeeBase calculates base physician payments from CMS work, practice-expense and malpractice RVUs, adjusted by each locality’s geographic indexes and the conversion factor. Services without a published rate are labeled, never given a made-up amount. Amounts are Medicare allowed amounts before claim adjustments: not a patient’s bill or a commercial rate.
CMS RVU26D · effective Oct 1, 2026 through the day before Jan 1, 2027
Show the CMS file lines behind this rate
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