Billing code 70120: Mastoid X-rayMedicare rate & RVUs
Reports a limited-view X-ray examination of the mastoid region, commonly used to assess mastoid air cells when the ordered study includes fewer than three views.
Medicare pays $38.75 for 70120 nationally in the office. Local office rates run $33.90–$53.27.
Medicare rate · 70120
Mastoid X-ray
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
- Work RVUs
- 0.18
- Total RVUs
- 1.16
- Global days
- XXX
National rate · 2026
$38.75
Office setting, before claim adjustments.
See every locality for 70120 → · Billed by an NP, PA or therapist? →
Medicare allowed amount for participating (non-QP) physicians, before deductible, coinsurance and claim adjustments. Not a patient’s bill or a hospital charge.
On this page 10 sections
What 70120 covers
This code describes a limited-view plain radiographic examination focused on the mastoid region behind the ear, including the mastoid air cells. It may be ordered when a clinician is evaluating suspected mastoid disease, such as in a patient with ear symptoms or concern for mastoiditis. Radiologic technologists acquire the images, and a qualified physician interprets them. The service may be performed in an office imaging department or a hospital setting.
Select this code when the documented mastoid examination includes fewer than three views; use the related higher-view code when three or more views are obtained. The imaging report and technologist documentation should support the body site and number of views. CMS allows the professional interpretation to be billed with modifier 26 and the technical service with modifier TC; billing without either modifier represents the global service. For bilateral examinations, each side is paid separately at 100%, so the record should identify both sides studied.
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 70120 pays more and less
The same RVUs, adjusted for each area’s costs. Open a locality for its calculation, history and nearby areas.
109 payment localities
$33.90 to $53.27
109 of 109 payment localities
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $34.45 | Unavailable |
| Alaska* | $43.54 | Unavailable |
| Arizona | $37.65 | Unavailable |
| Arkansas | $33.90 | Unavailable |
| Atlanta | $39.41 | Unavailable |
| Austin | $40.54 | Unavailable |
| Bakersfield | $41.68 | Unavailable |
| Baltimore/Surr. Cntys | $41.34 | Unavailable |
| Beaumont | $35.81 | Unavailable |
| Brazoria | $38.36 | Unavailable |
| Chicago | $39.81 | Unavailable |
| Chico | $41.62 | Unavailable |
| Colorado | $40.72 | Unavailable |
| Connecticut | $41.47 | Unavailable |
| Dallas | $38.58 | Unavailable |
| Dc + Md/Va Suburbs | $44.85 | Unavailable |
| Delaware | $38.32 | Unavailable |
| Detroit | $38.08 | Unavailable |
| East St. Louis | $36.86 | Unavailable |
| El Centro | $41.62 | Unavailable |
| Fort Lauderdale | $39.70 | Unavailable |
| Fort Worth | $38.26 | Unavailable |
| Fresno | $41.62 | Unavailable |
| Galveston | $38.45 | Unavailable |
| Hanford-Corcoran | $41.62 | Unavailable |
| Hawaii, Guam | $42.86 | Unavailable |
| Houston | $38.82 | Unavailable |
| Idaho | $35.83 | Unavailable |
| Indiana | $36.06 | Unavailable |
| Iowa | $35.62 | Unavailable |
| Kansas | $35.34 | Unavailable |
| Kentucky | $35.13 | Unavailable |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim (Los Angeles/Orange Cnty) | $44.63 | Unavailable |
| Madera | $41.62 | Unavailable |
| Manhattan | $44.72 | Unavailable |
| Merced | $41.62 | Unavailable |
| Metropolitan Boston | $45.14 | Unavailable |
| Metropolitan Kansas City | $36.77 | Unavailable |
| Metropolitan Philadelphia | $40.30 | Unavailable |
| Metropolitan St. Louis | $37.21 | Unavailable |
| Miami | $41.08 | Unavailable |
| Minnesota | $39.20 | Unavailable |
| Mississippi | $34.11 | Unavailable |
| Modesto | $41.62 | Unavailable |
| Montana** | $38.74 | Unavailable |
| Napa | $48.99 | Unavailable |
| Nebraska | $35.86 | Unavailable |
| Nevada** | $38.67 | Unavailable |
| New Hampshire | $39.98 | Unavailable |
| New Mexico | $36.22 | Unavailable |
| New Orleans | $36.94 | Unavailable |
| North Carolina | $36.36 | Unavailable |
| North Dakota** | $38.35 | Unavailable |
| Northern Nj | $44.30 | Unavailable |
| Nyc Suburbs/Long Island | $45.76 | Unavailable |
| Ohio | $35.96 | Unavailable |
| Oklahoma | $35.17 | Unavailable |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura | $44.50 | Unavailable |
| Portland | $42.23 | Unavailable |
| Poughkpsie/N Nyc Suburbs | $42.20 | Unavailable |
| Puerto Rico | $39.09 | Unavailable |
| Queens | $45.26 | Unavailable |
| Redding | $41.62 | Unavailable |
| Rest Of California | $41.62 | Unavailable |
| Rest Of Florida | $37.67 | Unavailable |
| Rest Of Georgia | $35.41 | Unavailable |
| Rest Of Illinois | $36.33 | Unavailable |
| Rest Of Louisiana | $35.03 | Unavailable |
| Rest Of Maine | $35.93 | Unavailable |
| Rest Of Maryland | $39.14 | Unavailable |
| Rest Of Massachusetts | $40.41 | Unavailable |
| Rest Of Michigan | $36.04 | Unavailable |
| Rest Of Missouri | $34.30 | Unavailable |
| Rest Of New Jersey | $42.00 | Unavailable |
| Rest Of New York | $36.94 | Unavailable |
| Rest Of Oregon | $38.42 | Unavailable |
| Rest Of Pennsylvania | $36.08 | Unavailable |
| Rest Of Texas | $37.04 | Unavailable |
| Rest Of Washington | $40.36 | Unavailable |
| Rhode Island | $39.85 | Unavailable |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario | $41.83 | Unavailable |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom | $43.88 | Unavailable |
| Salinas | $43.72 | Unavailable |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $44.90 | Unavailable |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley (Marin Cnty) | $52.10 | Unavailable |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley (San Francisco/San Mateo/Alameda/Contra Costa Cnty) | $52.08 | Unavailable |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara (San Benito Cnty) | $53.27 | Unavailable |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara (Santa Clara Cnty) | $53.18 | Unavailable |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles | $42.99 | Unavailable |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville | $45.46 | Unavailable |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara | $43.93 | Unavailable |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma | $45.93 | Unavailable |
| Seattle (King Cnty) | $46.20 | Unavailable |
| South Carolina | $36.21 | Unavailable |
| South Dakota** | $38.30 | Unavailable |
| Southern Maine | $38.21 | Unavailable |
| Stockton | $41.62 | Unavailable |
| Suburban Chicago | $40.17 | Unavailable |
| Tennessee | $35.52 | Unavailable |
| Utah | $36.75 | Unavailable |
| Vallejo | $48.96 | Unavailable |
| Vermont | $38.09 | Unavailable |
| Virgin Islands | $39.09 | Unavailable |
| Virginia | $38.00 | Unavailable |
| Visalia | $41.62 | Unavailable |
| West Virginia | $34.83 | Unavailable |
| Wisconsin | $36.94 | Unavailable |
| Wyoming** | $38.57 | Unavailable |
| Yuba City | $41.62 | Unavailable |
70120 rates by state
Office rate range in each state. Select a state to see its payment localities.
Explore a state
Local rates. Clear comparisons.
Hover or focus a tile to see its rate range. Select it to open the state’s fee schedule.
$33.90
$47.45
Color shows the midpoint of each state’s locality range.
View every state and territory as a table
| State / territory | Office rate range | Localities |
|---|---|---|
| AK | $43.54 | 1 |
| AL | $34.45 | 1 |
| AR | $33.90 | 1 |
| AZ | $37.65 | 1 |
| CA | $41.62–$53.27 | 29 |
| CO | $40.72 | 1 |
| CT | $41.47 | 1 |
| DC | $44.85 | 1 |
| DE | $38.32 | 1 |
| FL | $37.67–$41.08 | 3 |
| GA | $35.41–$39.41 | 2 |
| GU | $42.86 | 1 |
| HI | $42.86 | 1 |
| IA | $35.62 | 1 |
| ID | $35.83 | 1 |
| IL | $36.33–$40.17 | 4 |
| IN | $36.06 | 1 |
| KS | $35.34 | 1 |
| KY | $35.13 | 1 |
| LA | $35.03–$36.94 | 2 |
| MA | $40.41–$45.14 | 2 |
| MD | $39.14–$44.85 | 3 |
| ME | $35.93–$38.21 | 2 |
| MI | $36.04–$38.08 | 2 |
| MN | $39.20 | 1 |
| MO | $34.30–$37.21 | 3 |
| MS | $34.11 | 1 |
| MT | $38.74 | 1 |
| NC | $36.36 | 1 |
| ND | $38.35 | 1 |
| NE | $35.86 | 1 |
| NH | $39.98 | 1 |
| NJ | $42.00–$44.30 | 2 |
| NM | $36.22 | 1 |
| NV | $38.67 | 1 |
| NY | $36.94–$45.76 | 5 |
| OH | $35.96 | 1 |
| OK | $35.17 | 1 |
| OR | $38.42–$42.23 | 2 |
| PA | $36.08–$40.30 | 2 |
| PR | $39.09 | 1 |
| RI | $39.85 | 1 |
| SC | $36.21 | 1 |
| SD | $38.30 | 1 |
| TN | $35.52 | 1 |
| TX | $35.81–$40.54 | 8 |
| UT | $36.75 | 1 |
| VA | $38.00–$44.85 | 2 |
| VI | $39.09 | 1 |
| VT | $38.09 | 1 |
| WA | $40.36–$46.20 | 2 |
| WI | $36.94 | 1 |
| WV | $34.83 | 1 |
| WY | $38.57 | 1 |
How the 70120 rate is calculated
Each of 70120’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 · 70120
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
Work 0.18Practice expense 0.96Malpractice 0.02
All indexes start at 1.000 (the national rate). Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 70120
The CMS indicators that decide how 70120 is paid alongside other services.
CMS payment indicators · 70120
Mastoid X-ray
| 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
70120 without 26 · national office
$38.75
Mastoid X-ray
70120-26 · Professional component
$8.68
Pays only the interpretation and report.
70120 compared with similar codes
Compare codes
70120 vs 70130 vs 70134 vs 70140: national Medicare rates
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
How to choose
- 70130Mastoid X-ray
- Both codes cover mastoid radiography. The view count distinguishes them: 70120 is for fewer than three views, while 70130 is for three or more.
- 70134Middle-ear X-ray
- 70120 targets the mastoid region; 70134 targets the middle ear. Choose according to the anatomy examined and documented.
- 70140Facial bone X-ray
- 70140 is for facial-bone radiography, not a limited-view mastoid study. Use it when the imaged area is the facial bones.
70120 billing questions
When should I use 70120 instead of 70130?
Use 70120 for a mastoid radiographic examination with fewer than three views. Use 70130 when three or more views are obtained.
Can the interpretation and imaging service be billed separately?
Yes. Modifier 26 identifies the professional interpretation, and modifier TC identifies the technical service. Without either modifier, the claim represents the global service.
How is a bilateral mastoid examination handled?
CMS pays each side separately at 100% when both sides are examined. Documentation should identify the right and left sides.
What documentation supports reporting this code?
The imaging record should identify the mastoid region examined and show that fewer than three views were obtained. The interpretation should document the physician's findings.
Is a middle-ear X-ray the same service?
No. Code 70134 describes imaging focused on the middle ear, while 70120 is for the mastoid region. Select the code that matches the imaged anatomy and documented 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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