CPT code 73223: Joint MRI, without and with contrast2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in Missouri
Reports MRI evaluation of an upper extremity joint using images acquired before and after contrast, such as for suspected joint infection or tumor.
Medicare pays $340.48–$368.34 for 73223 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 73223 covers
This service covers MRI of an upper extremity joint, such as the shoulder, elbow, wrist, or hand joint, with images obtained before and after contrast administration. A technologist performs the scan, and a radiologist interprets the images. It may be ordered when the clinical question requires assessment of a joint and surrounding structures with both unenhanced and contrast-enhanced imaging, including evaluation for infection, inflammatory disease, or a suspected mass.
Select this code when the study is of a joint and includes both precontrast and postcontrast imaging; a study using only one contrast protocol belongs to a different code. The order and report should identify the joint and side, the clinical indication, and the contrast phases performed. Report one service per side rather than separate units for the precontrast and postcontrast portions. The global service includes the technical and professional work; modifier 26 identifies interpretation only, and modifier TC identifies the technical portion. When multiple diagnostic imaging services are performed, the multiple procedure reduction applies to both components. For bilateral studies, each side is paid separately at 100%.
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 73223 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
$340.48 to $368.34
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Metropolitan Kansas City, MO | $364.21 | Unavailable |
| Metropolitan St. Louis, MO | $368.34 | Unavailable |
| Rest of Missouri | $340.48 | Unavailable |
How the 73223 rate is calculated
Each of 73223’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 · 73223
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work2.10
2.10 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense9.22
9.22 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice0.15
0.15 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
11.4700
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$383.11
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 73223
The CMS indicators that decide how 73223 is paid alongside other services.
CMS payment indicators · 73223
Joint MRI, without and with contrast
| Rule | CMS value | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Global period | XXX | The global surgery concept doesn’t apply. |
| Multiple procedures | 4 | Diagnostic imaging reduction applies to the technical component (and professional component) of additional services. |
| 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
73223 without 26 · national office
$383.11
Joint MRI, without and with contrast
73223-26 · Professional component
$99.53
Pays only the interpretation and report.
73223 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
5 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 73221Joint MRIUpper extremity, no contrast
- Choose 73221 when the joint MRI is performed without contrast. This code requires both unenhanced and contrast-enhanced imaging.
- 73222Joint MRIUpper extremity, with contrast
- Choose 73222 when the joint MRI uses contrast only. Use this code when the protocol includes imaging both before and after contrast.
- 73220Extremity MRIWithout and with contrast
- 73220 covers upper extremity MRI rather than a joint-focused study. Use this code when the imaged target is a joint and both contrast phases are performed.
- 73225MR angiographyUpper extremity, with and without contrast
- 73225 is MR angiography of the upper extremity, focused on vessels. This code is for joint MRI, not vascular imaging.
73223 billing questions
How does this differ from 73221 or 73222?
Use 73223 when the joint MRI includes images both before and after contrast. 73221 is for a joint study without contrast, while 73222 is for one with contrast only.
Should the precontrast and postcontrast portions be billed as separate units?
No. The combined protocol is reported as one service per side, not as separate units for each contrast phase.
When should modifier 26 or TC be used?
Use modifier 26 for the professional interpretation alone and TC for the technical service alone. Report without either modifier when billing the global service.
How is a bilateral study reported?
Report each side separately and document the joint and laterality. CMS pays each side separately at 100% when performed bilaterally.
What documentation supports this code?
The order and imaging report should support the clinical need, identify the upper extremity joint and side, and show that imaging was performed both before and after contrast.
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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