CPT code 74250: Small-bowel X-ray, single contrast2026 Medicare rate & RVUs

Medicare pays $118.24 for 74250 nationally in the office. Local office rates run $104.60–$159.92.

Medicare allowed amount for participating (non-QP) physicians, before deductible, coinsurance and claim adjustments. Not a patient’s bill or a hospital charge.

What 74250 covers

This service is a radiographic examination of the small intestine using one contrast agent, commonly administered by mouth, with serial images used to assess the bowel’s appearance and the passage of contrast. A radiologist typically interprets the study after images are acquired in a hospital outpatient department or imaging center. It may be ordered to investigate suspected small-bowel narrowing, obstruction, or other structural abnormalities.

Select this code when the documented examination is a single-contrast study of the small intestine; the report should identify the anatomy examined and the imaging performed. CMS recognizes separately priced professional and technical components: modifier 26 identifies the physician’s interpretation, while modifier TC identifies the equipment and staff portion. Without either modifier, the claim represents the global service. The radiology report and imaging record should support the service and the selected contrast technique.

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 74250 pays more and less

The same RVUs, adjusted for each area’s costs. Open a locality for its calculation, history and nearby areas.

109 of 109 payment localities

74250 rates by state

Office rate range in each state. Select a state to see its payment localities.

How the 74250 rate is calculated

Each of 74250’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.

Payment rules and modifiers for 74250

The CMS indicators that decide how 74250 is paid alongside other services.

What modifiers do to the payment

When to use modifier 26

74250 compared with similar codes

How to choose

74248Small bowel follow-throughAdd-on to upper GI

This code represents a single-contrast small-intestine examination. Choose 74248 when the documented service is a small-intestine follow-through study.

74251Small bowel X-rayDouble contrast

74251 is for a double-contrast small-intestine examination; this code is for the single-contrast technique.

74240Upper GI seriesSingle contrast

74240 examines the upper gastrointestinal tract with single contrast. This code is for imaging the small intestine.

Codes related to 74250

Related codes aren’t interchangeable: bill the code that matches the service performed.

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

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates