CPT code 72202: SI joint X-ray, three or more views2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in Maryland
Reports radiographic evaluation of the sacroiliac joints when the examination includes at least three views, such as for suspected joint inflammation or structural change.
Medicare pays $39.13–$44.69 for 72202 in the office in Maryland, from Rest of Maryland to Washington, DC area. 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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What 72202 covers
This examination uses X-rays to assess the sacroiliac joints, where the sacrum meets the ilium. Clinicians may order it when evaluating persistent low-back or buttock pain, suspected sacroiliitis, or changes associated with inflammatory disease. A radiologic technologist obtains the images in an outpatient imaging center, hospital department, or office with radiography equipment; a physician, commonly a radiologist, interprets the study and documents the findings.
Select this code when the documented examination contains three or more views of the sacroiliac joints. The report and image record should support the anatomy examined and the number of views; do not select it based only on the suspected diagnosis. CMS recognizes professional and technical components: report modifier 26 for the interpretation, modifier TC for the equipment and staff, or neither modifier when billing the global service. The professional and technical portions may be separately priced.
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 72202 pays more and less in Maryland
The same RVUs, adjusted for each area’s costs. Open a locality for its calculation, history and nearby areas.
3 payment localities
$39.13 to $44.69
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Baltimore area, MD | $41.26 | Unavailable |
| Rest of Maryland | $39.13 | Unavailable |
| Washington, DC area | $44.69 | Unavailable |
How the 72202 rate is calculated
Each of 72202’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 · 72202
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work0.22
0.22 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense0.92
0.92 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice0.02
0.02 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
1.1600
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$38.75
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 72202
The CMS indicators that decide how 72202 is paid alongside other services.
CMS payment indicators · 72202
SI joint X-ray, three 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
72202 without 26 · national office
$38.75
SI joint X-ray, three or more views
72202-26 · Professional component
$10.35
Pays only the interpretation and report.
72202 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
4 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 72200SI joint X-rayFewer than three views
- Both codes examine the sacroiliac joints. Use 72202 for three or more views and 72200 for the lower view-count study.
- 72220Sacrum X-raySacrum and coccyx
- This code targets the sacrum and coccyx rather than the sacroiliac joints. Select based on the anatomy actually imaged.
- 72100Lumbar spine X-rayTwo or three views
- This code reports lumbar spine radiographs, not a dedicated sacroiliac joint examination. A separate study may be appropriate when both regions are imaged and interpreted.
72202 billing questions
How does this differ from 72200?
Choose 72202 when the sacroiliac joint examination includes three or more views. Code 72200 is for the lower view-count examination, so use the documented views to distinguish them.
Can the interpretation and imaging work be billed separately?
Yes. Modifier 26 identifies the professional interpretation, and modifier TC identifies the technical portion. Without either modifier, the claim represents the global service.
Is this reported once for each view?
Report the examination code once for the study, not once for every projection. The record should show that the study reached the three-view threshold.
What documentation supports 72202?
Keep the imaging report and record of the views obtained, showing that the sacroiliac joints were examined with at least three views. The interpretation should identify the findings for that study.
Should a sacrum or coccyx X-ray use 72202?
No. Code 72202 is for imaging the sacroiliac joints. Use 72220 when the separately performed examination targets the sacrum or coccyx.
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
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