CPT code 74455: Voiding study, urethra and bladder2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in California
Reports radiologic supervision and interpretation of a contrast study that images the bladder and urethra during voiding, commonly to assess reflux or obstruction.
Medicare pays $114.27–$147.74 for 74455 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.
Your location
On this page 9 sections
What 74455 covers
This study, commonly called a voiding cystourethrogram, uses fluoroscopic imaging as contrast fills the bladder and the patient voids. The images show the bladder and urethra during emptying and can demonstrate vesicoureteral reflux or urethral obstruction. It is commonly performed in radiology departments for children being evaluated for urinary tract abnormalities, including after recurrent febrile urinary infections, and may also be used for suspected urethral problems in adults. A radiologist interprets the images and reports the findings.
Report 74455 for the radiologic service when the study captures the voiding phase and evaluates the urethra and bladder; a bladder-only cystogram or a retrograde urethral study represents a different imaging service. Documentation should identify the clinical indication and describe the imaging and interpretation, including relevant findings during voiding. The contrast instillation service, when performed, is commonly reported separately with 51600. CMS recognizes professional and technical components: modifier 26 identifies the interpretation, modifier TC identifies equipment and staff, and reporting without either modifier represents the global service.
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 74455 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
$114.27 to $147.74
29 of 29 payment localities
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Bakersfield, CA | $114.37 | Unavailable |
| Chico, CA | $114.27 | Unavailable |
| El Centro, CA | $114.28 | Unavailable |
| Fresno, CA | $114.27 | Unavailable |
| Hanford, CA | $114.27 | Unavailable |
| Los Angeles, CA | $122.82 | Unavailable |
| Madera, CA | $114.27 | Unavailable |
| Marin County, CA | $144.50 | Unavailable |
| Merced, CA | $114.27 | Unavailable |
| Modesto, CA | $114.27 | Unavailable |
| Napa, CA | $135.57 | Unavailable |
| Oxnard, CA | $122.55 | Unavailable |
| Redding, CA | $114.27 | Unavailable |
| Rest of California | $114.27 | Unavailable |
| Riverside, CA | $114.60 | Unavailable |
| Sacramento, CA | $120.77 | Unavailable |
| Salinas, CA | $120.34 | Unavailable |
| San Benito County, CA | $147.74 | Unavailable |
| San Diego, CA | $123.80 | Unavailable |
| San Francisco, CA | $144.47 | Unavailable |
| San Luis Obispo, CA | $118.31 | Unavailable |
| Santa Clara County, CA | $147.60 | Unavailable |
| Santa Cruz, CA | $125.49 | Unavailable |
| Santa Maria, CA | $120.96 | Unavailable |
| Santa Rosa, CA | $126.80 | Unavailable |
| Stockton, CA | $114.27 | Unavailable |
| Vallejo, CA | $135.52 | Unavailable |
| Visalia, CA | $114.27 | Unavailable |
| Yuba City, CA | $114.27 | Unavailable |
How the 74455 rate is calculated
Each of 74455’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 · 74455
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work0.32
0.32 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense2.81
2.81 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice0.03
0.03 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
3.1600
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$105.55
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 74455
The CMS indicators that decide how 74455 is paid alongside other services.
CMS payment indicators · 74455
Voiding study, urethra and bladder
| 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
74455 without 26 · national office
$105.55
Voiding study, urethra and bladder
74455-26 · Professional component
$15.70
Pays only the interpretation and report.
74455 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
4 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 74430Bladder imagingRetrograde contrast
- 74430 describes bladder cystography; 74455 is selected when the study images the urethra and bladder during voiding.
- 74450UrethrocystographyRetrograde study
- 74450 is the retrograde urethrocystography service. Use 74455 for imaging performed during voiding.
- 51600Bladder injectionCystography or voiding study
- 51600 reports the contrast injection procedure for cystography or voiding urethrocystography; 74455 reports the radiologic service and interpretation.
74455 billing questions
When should 74455 be used instead of 74430?
Use 74455 when imaging includes the voiding phase to evaluate the urethra and bladder. Code 74430 is for a bladder cystography study rather than a voiding urethrocystography.
How does 74455 differ from 74450?
74455 covers imaging during voiding. 74450 is used for retrograde urethrocystography, in which contrast is introduced retrograde rather than evaluating the urinary tract during voiding.
Can 51600 be reported with 74455?
Yes. When contrast is instilled for the study, 51600 may be reported for the injection procedure, while 74455 represents the radiologic service and interpretation.
Which modifier identifies the radiologist's interpretation?
Append modifier 26 for the professional component. Modifier TC identifies the technical component, and the unmodified code represents the global service.
What documentation supports 74455?
The record should support a voiding study of the bladder and urethra, the clinical indication, and the radiologist's interpretation of the images, including findings observed during voiding.
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
Fee sheets
Put 74455 and the rest of your codes on one sheet
Your codes at your locality, with payer contracts beside Medicare.
Build my fee sheet