CPT code 72120: Lumbar X-ray, bending views only2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in Missouri
Reports lumbar spine radiographs limited to bending views, typically obtained to assess motion when spinal instability is suspected.
Medicare pays $37.32–$40.44 for 72120 in the office in Missouri, from Rest of Missouri to Metropolitan St. Louis, MO. 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 72120 covers
This service covers lumbar and lumbosacral X-rays taken in bending positions, commonly flexion and extension, without a routine complete series. A clinician may order these views when symptoms or examination raise concern for abnormal movement, such as possible lumbar instability. A radiologic technologist obtains the images, and a qualified practitioner interprets them. The service may be performed in an imaging center, hospital, or office with radiography equipment.
Report 72120 when the study consists of bending views only; use the documented examination and images to distinguish it from a complete lumbar series that also includes bending views. The record should support the reason for dynamic imaging and include the interpretation. CMS recognizes separately priced professional and technical components: modifier 26 identifies the interpretation, and modifier TC identifies the equipment and staff portion. Billing without either modifier represents the global service, including both components.
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 72120 pays more and less in Missouri
The same RVUs, adjusted for each area’s costs. Open a locality for its calculation, history and nearby areas.
3 payment localities
$37.32 to $40.44
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Metropolitan Kansas City, MO | $39.97 | Unavailable |
| Metropolitan St. Louis, MO | $40.44 | Unavailable |
| Rest of Missouri | $37.32 | Unavailable |
How the 72120 rate is calculated
Each of 72120’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 · 72120
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work0.21
0.21 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense1.03
1.03 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice0.02
0.02 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
1.2600
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$42.09
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 72120
The CMS indicators that decide how 72120 is paid alongside other services.
CMS payment indicators · 72120
Lumbar X-ray, bending views only
| 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
72120 without 26 · national office
$42.09
Lumbar X-ray, bending views only
72120-26 · Professional component
$10.69
Pays only the interpretation and report.
72120 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
4 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 72114Spine X-raySix or more views
- 72120 covers bending views only. Choose 72114 when the documented study includes a complete lumbar series along with bending views.
- 72110Lumbar spine X-rayMinimum of four views
- 72110 is for a broader routine lumbar radiographic series. It is not the bending-views-only service reported with 72120.
- 72100Lumbar spine X-rayTwo or three views
- 72100 describes a limited routine lumbar series, while 72120 is selected for bending views only.
72120 billing questions
When should 72120 be reported instead of 72114?
Use 72120 for bending views only. Use 72114 when the examination includes a complete lumbar series with bending views.
Can the interpretation and imaging service be billed separately?
Yes. Modifier 26 identifies the professional interpretation, and modifier TC identifies the technical portion, including equipment and staff. Without either modifier, the claim represents the global service.
What documentation supports 72120?
The record should support the clinical reason for dynamic imaging and show that the study consisted of bending views only. The interpreting practitioner’s report should document the findings.
Is 72120 for routine lumbar views?
No. It is for bending views only; routine views as part of a broader lumbar examination point to a different radiography code based on the study performed.
Who typically performs and interprets this study?
A radiologic technologist generally obtains the images, while a qualified practitioner interprets them. The service may be performed in an imaging center, hospital, or properly equipped office.
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.
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