CPT code 73552: Femur X-ray, two or more views2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in Illinois
A femur radiograph with at least two views, reported to evaluate pain, injury, suspected bone abnormality, or femoral hardware.
Medicare pays $33.59–$37.08 for 73552 in the office in Illinois, from Rest of Illinois to Suburban Chicago, IL. 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 73552 covers
This service covers radiographic imaging of the femur using at least two views. A technologist typically obtains the images in an outpatient imaging department, hospital, emergency department, or orthopedic practice; a radiologist or other qualified physician interprets them. Common reasons include thigh pain after trauma, suspected femoral fracture or bone lesion, and assessment of femoral fixation hardware.
Report 73552 when the femur study includes two or more views; use the one-view sibling when only one view is obtained. Documentation should identify the imaged side, views acquired, clinical indication, and interpretation. Billing without a component modifier represents the global service, including image acquisition and interpretation. Modifier 26 identifies the professional interpretation, while TC identifies the technical service. For bilateral examinations, 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 73552 pays more and less in Illinois
The same RVUs, adjusted for each area’s costs. Open a locality for its calculation, history and nearby areas.
4 payment localities
$33.59 to $37.08
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago, IL | $36.79 | Unavailable |
| East St. Louis, IL | $34.09 | Unavailable |
| Rest of Illinois | $33.59 | Unavailable |
| Suburban Chicago, IL | $37.08 | Unavailable |
How the 73552 rate is calculated
Each of 73552’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 · 73552
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work0.18
0.18 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense0.87
0.87 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice0.02
0.02 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
1.0700
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$35.74
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 73552
The CMS indicators that decide how 73552 is paid alongside other services.
CMS payment indicators · 73552
Femur X-ray, two 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) | 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
73552 without 26 · national office
$35.74
Femur X-ray, two or more views
73552-26 · Professional component
$8.68
Pays only the interpretation and report.
73552 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
4 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 73551Femur X-rayOne view
- 73551 describes a one-view femur study. Choose 73552 when two or more views are obtained.
- 73502Hip X-rayOne hip, 2-3 views
- 73502 is for a unilateral hip examination with two or three views. Use 73552 when the study is of the femur rather than the hip joint.
- 73590Lower-leg X-rayTibia and fibula, two views
- 73590 is for lower-leg imaging. 73552 applies to the femur, the thigh bone between the hip and knee.
73552 billing questions
When should 73552 be chosen over 73551?
Use 73552 for a femur study with two or more views. 73551 is the one-view sibling.
Does a hip or knee X-ray count as a femur study?
Not by itself. Select the code for the imaged region: hip codes apply to a hip-joint examination, and knee codes apply to a knee examination.
How are the professional and technical services reported?
Report the global service without a component modifier. Modifier 26 identifies the interpretation, and TC identifies the equipment and staff service.
How is a bilateral femur examination handled?
Report the examination for each side, identifying right and left in the claim as required. CMS pays each side separately at 100% when performed bilaterally.
Are units based on the number of images?
No. The two-or-more-view requirement determines the code; the images are not reported as separate units.
What documentation supports 73552?
Document the femur imaged, laterality, views obtained, clinical reason for the study, and the physician's interpretation.
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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