CPT code 73100: Wrist X-ray, two views2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in Louisiana
Reports a two-view plain-film examination of the wrist for concerns such as pain, injury, or suspected fracture.
Medicare pays $31.11–$32.82 for 73100 in the office in Louisiana, from Rest of Louisiana to New Orleans, LA. 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 73100 covers
This code represents a plain-film examination of one wrist using two views. It is commonly ordered for wrist pain after a fall, suspected fracture, or evaluation of wrist alignment. A radiologic technologist obtains the images in an emergency department, urgent care clinic, orthopedic office, or imaging department; a physician, often a radiologist, interprets them. The code covers the wrist, not a separate hand or finger examination.
Select this service when the documented wrist study consists of two views; a study with three or more views is reported with the corresponding higher-view wrist code. The record should identify the wrist examined, the views obtained, and the clinical reason for imaging. Bill the global service without a component modifier, or report the interpretation with modifier 26 and the equipment-and-staff portion with modifier TC. For bilateral examinations, CMS pays each side separately at 100%; identify each side on the claim.
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 73100 pays more and less in Louisiana
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| New Orleans, LA | $32.82 | Unavailable |
| Rest of Louisiana | $31.11 | Unavailable |
How the 73100 rate is calculated
Each of 73100’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 · 73100
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work0.16
0.16 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense0.85
0.85 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice0.02
0.02 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
1.0300
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$34.40
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 73100
The CMS indicators that decide how 73100 is paid alongside other services.
CMS payment indicators · 73100
Wrist X-ray, two 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) | 3 | Each side paid at 100% (no 150% cap). |
| 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
73100 without 26 · national office
$34.40
Wrist X-ray, two views
73100-26 · Professional component
$8.35
Pays only the interpretation and report.
73100 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
4 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 73110Wrist X-rayComplete, minimum three views
- Choose 73100 for two wrist views; choose 73110 when the wrist examination includes three or more views.
- 73115Contrast wrist studyRadiographic arthrography
- 73115 describes wrist arthrography imaging with contrast. This code is for routine plain-film wrist views.
- 73120Hand X-rayTwo views
- 73120 is for hand radiography, while 73100 covers the wrist. Report a separate hand study only when hand imaging is performed and documented.
73100 billing questions
How does this differ from 73110?
73100 is for a two-view wrist study. Use 73110 when three or more wrist views are obtained.
When should modifier 26 or TC be used?
Use modifier 26 for the physician's interpretation alone and TC for the technical portion, including equipment and staff. Without either modifier, the claim represents the global service.
How is a bilateral wrist examination reported?
CMS pays each side separately at 100% when both wrists are examined. Identify the right and left sides on the claim.
Can this code be used for a hand or finger study?
No. It represents wrist imaging; a separately performed hand or finger examination has its own code.
What documentation supports reporting this code?
Document the wrist examined, the two views obtained, and the clinical indication, such as post-fall pain or suspected fracture.
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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