CPT code 73501: Hip X-ray, unilateral, one view2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in California
Reports a single-view radiographic examination of one hip, such as a limited study for focused assessment of the hip joint and nearby bone.
Medicare pays $36.12–$46.04 for 73501 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 73501 covers
This service is a diagnostic X-ray examination of one hip using one radiographic view. It may be performed in a hospital, emergency department, orthopedic clinic, or imaging center when a limited image is requested. A technologist positions the patient and acquires the image; a physician, commonly a radiologist, interprets it and documents the findings. The image includes the hip joint and may show adjacent proximal femur, depending on positioning.
Select 73501 when the documented unilateral hip examination consists of one view; choose a sibling code when more views are obtained. Record the side, number of views, clinical indication, and interpretation. CMS recognizes a global service, which includes both image acquisition and interpretation, or separately priced professional and technical components: modifier 26 identifies the interpretation, and modifier TC identifies the equipment and staff portion. The component billed should match the work furnished and documented.
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 73501 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
$36.12 to $46.04
29 of 29 payment localities
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Bakersfield, CA | $36.19 | Unavailable |
| Chico, CA | $36.12 | Unavailable |
| El Centro, CA | $36.13 | Unavailable |
| Fresno, CA | $36.12 | Unavailable |
| Hanford, CA | $36.12 | Unavailable |
| Los Angeles, CA | $38.71 | Unavailable |
| Madera, CA | $36.12 | Unavailable |
| Marin County, CA | $45.04 | Unavailable |
| Merced, CA | $36.12 | Unavailable |
| Modesto, CA | $36.12 | Unavailable |
| Napa, CA | $42.39 | Unavailable |
| Oxnard, CA | $38.58 | Unavailable |
| Redding, CA | $36.12 | Unavailable |
| Rest of California | $36.12 | Unavailable |
| Riverside, CA | $36.34 | Unavailable |
| Sacramento, CA | $38.05 | Unavailable |
| Salinas, CA | $37.91 | Unavailable |
| San Benito County, CA | $46.04 | Unavailable |
| San Diego, CA | $38.91 | Unavailable |
| San Francisco, CA | $45.01 | Unavailable |
| San Luis Obispo, CA | $37.29 | Unavailable |
| Santa Clara County, CA | $45.95 | Unavailable |
| Santa Cruz, CA | $39.37 | Unavailable |
| Santa Maria, CA | $38.08 | Unavailable |
| Santa Rosa, CA | $39.77 | Unavailable |
| Stockton, CA | $36.12 | Unavailable |
| Vallejo, CA | $42.36 | Unavailable |
| Visalia, CA | $36.12 | Unavailable |
| Yuba City, CA | $36.12 | Unavailable |
How the 73501 rate is calculated
Each of 73501’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 · 73501
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work0.18
0.18 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense0.81
0.81 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice0.02
0.02 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
1.0100
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$33.73
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 73501
The CMS indicators that decide how 73501 is paid alongside other services.
CMS payment indicators · 73501
Hip X-ray, unilateral, one view
| 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
73501 without 26 · national office
$33.73
Hip X-ray, unilateral, one view
73501-26 · Professional component
$9.02
Pays only the interpretation and report.
73501 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
4 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 73502Hip X-rayOne hip, 2-3 views
- Use 73502 when two or three views are obtained for one hip; 73501 represents a single view.
- 73503Hip X-rayUnilateral, four or more views
- Use 73503 for a unilateral study with four or more views, rather than the single view represented by 73501.
- 73521Hip X-rayBilateral, two views
- 73521 describes a bilateral hip examination with two views; 73501 describes one view of one hip.
73501 billing questions
How is 73501 distinguished from 73502?
73501 is for one view of one hip. Use 73502 when the unilateral examination includes two or three views.
Can 73501 be reported for both hips?
No. This code describes one hip; bilateral hip examinations have separate codes, selected according to the total views obtained.
When should modifier 26 or TC be used?
Use modifier 26 for the physician’s interpretation and report, or modifier TC for the technical service, including equipment and staff. Without either modifier, the claim represents the global service.
What documentation supports 73501?
Document the unilateral side, the single view obtained, the clinical reason for imaging, and the physician’s interpretation and report when that component is billed.
Can 73501 and 73502 be reported for the same hip examination?
Choose the code that matches the total number of views for that unilateral examination rather than reporting both codes to represent the same study.
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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