CPT 71120: Sternum X-rayMedicare rate & RVUs
Reports a multi-view sternum radiograph to evaluate suspected sternal injury, focal pain, or another clinical concern centered on the breastbone.
Medicare pays $33.07 for 71120 nationally in the office. Local office rates run $29.12–$44.86.
Medicare rate · 71120
Sternum X-ray
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
- Work RVUs
- 0.2
- Total RVUs
- 0.99
- Global days
- XXX
National rate · 2026
$33.07
Office setting, before claim adjustments.
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 71120 covers
This study uses at least two radiographic projections centered on the sternum. It is commonly obtained in an emergency department, hospital, or outpatient imaging setting when blunt chest trauma, focal breastbone tenderness, or another concern calls for imaging of the sternum itself. A radiologic technologist acquires the images, and a radiologist or other qualified interpreting practitioner reviews them and documents the findings.
Report one unit for the sternum examination when two or more views are obtained; the number of projections does not create separate units. The order and report should support the sternal target and the clinical reason for imaging. CMS recognizes a professional component for interpretation and a technical component for equipment and staff: modifier 26 identifies the interpretation, modifier TC identifies the technical service, 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 71120 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
$29.12 to $44.86
109 of 109 payment localities
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $29.56 | Unavailable |
| Alaska* | $37.78 | Unavailable |
| Arizona | $32.17 | Unavailable |
| Arkansas | $29.12 | Unavailable |
| Atlanta | $33.63 | Unavailable |
| Austin | $34.50 | Unavailable |
| Bakersfield | $35.40 | Unavailable |
| Baltimore/Surr. Cntys | $35.21 | Unavailable |
| Beaumont | $30.70 | Unavailable |
| Brazoria | $32.74 | Unavailable |
| Chicago | $34.11 | Unavailable |
| Chico | $35.34 | Unavailable |
| Colorado | $34.65 | Unavailable |
| Connecticut | $35.32 | Unavailable |
| Dallas | $32.93 | Unavailable |
| Dc + Md/Va Suburbs | $38.08 | Unavailable |
| Delaware | $32.72 | Unavailable |
| Detroit | $32.62 | Unavailable |
| East St. Louis | $31.69 | Unavailable |
| El Centro | $35.34 | Unavailable |
| Fort Lauderdale | $33.94 | Unavailable |
| Fort Worth | $32.68 | Unavailable |
| Fresno | $35.34 | Unavailable |
| Galveston | $32.83 | Unavailable |
| Hanford-Corcoran | $35.34 | Unavailable |
| Hawaii, Guam | $36.31 | Unavailable |
| Houston | $33.19 | Unavailable |
| Idaho | $30.66 | Unavailable |
| Indiana | $30.85 | Unavailable |
| Iowa | $30.48 | Unavailable |
| Kansas | $30.27 | Unavailable |
| Kentucky | $30.16 | Unavailable |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim (Los Angeles/Orange Cnty) | $37.82 | Unavailable |
| Madera | $35.34 | Unavailable |
| Manhattan | $38.05 | Unavailable |
| Merced | $35.34 | Unavailable |
| Metropolitan Boston | $38.26 | Unavailable |
| Metropolitan Kansas City | $31.48 | Unavailable |
| Metropolitan Philadelphia | $34.37 | Unavailable |
| Metropolitan St. Louis | $31.83 | Unavailable |
| Miami | $35.14 | Unavailable |
| Minnesota | $33.34 | Unavailable |
| Mississippi | $29.32 | Unavailable |
| Modesto | $35.34 | Unavailable |
| Montana** | $33.07 | Unavailable |
| Napa | $41.34 | Unavailable |
| Nebraska | $30.67 | Unavailable |
| Nevada** | $32.98 | Unavailable |
| New Hampshire | $34.04 | Unavailable |
| New Mexico | $31.07 | Unavailable |
| New Orleans | $31.64 | Unavailable |
| North Carolina | $31.10 | Unavailable |
| North Dakota** | $32.67 | Unavailable |
| Northern Nj | $37.65 | Unavailable |
| Nyc Suburbs/Long Island | $38.93 | Unavailable |
| Ohio | $30.83 | Unavailable |
| Oklahoma | $30.17 | Unavailable |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura | $37.68 | Unavailable |
| Portland | $35.86 | Unavailable |
| Poughkpsie/N Nyc Suburbs | $35.95 | Unavailable |
| Puerto Rico | $33.34 | Unavailable |
| Queens | $38.47 | Unavailable |
| Redding | $35.34 | Unavailable |
| Rest Of California | $35.34 | Unavailable |
| Rest Of Florida | $32.27 | Unavailable |
| Rest Of Georgia | $30.42 | Unavailable |
| Rest Of Illinois | $31.21 | Unavailable |
| Rest Of Louisiana | $30.08 | Unavailable |
| Rest Of Maine | $30.76 | Unavailable |
| Rest Of Maryland | $33.39 | Unavailable |
| Rest Of Massachusetts | $34.40 | Unavailable |
| Rest Of Michigan | $30.92 | Unavailable |
| Rest Of Missouri | $29.50 | Unavailable |
| Rest Of New Jersey | $35.77 | Unavailable |
| Rest Of New York | $31.58 | Unavailable |
| Rest Of Oregon | $32.77 | Unavailable |
| Rest Of Pennsylvania | $30.92 | Unavailable |
| Rest Of Texas | $31.69 | Unavailable |
| Rest Of Washington | $34.36 | Unavailable |
| Rhode Island | $33.97 | Unavailable |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario | $35.56 | Unavailable |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom | $37.19 | Unavailable |
| Salinas | $37.05 | Unavailable |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $38.00 | Unavailable |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley (Marin Cnty) | $43.88 | Unavailable |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley (San Francisco/San Mateo/Alameda/Contra Costa Cnty) | $43.86 | Unavailable |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara (San Benito Cnty) | $44.86 | Unavailable |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara (Santa Clara Cnty) | $44.77 | Unavailable |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles | $36.45 | Unavailable |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville | $38.43 | Unavailable |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara | $37.21 | Unavailable |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma | $38.82 | Unavailable |
| Seattle (King Cnty) | $39.12 | Unavailable |
| South Carolina | $31.01 | Unavailable |
| South Dakota** | $32.62 | Unavailable |
| Southern Maine | $32.59 | Unavailable |
| Stockton | $35.34 | Unavailable |
| Suburban Chicago | $34.32 | Unavailable |
| Tennessee | $30.42 | Unavailable |
| Utah | $31.46 | Unavailable |
| Vallejo | $41.30 | Unavailable |
| Vermont | $32.48 | Unavailable |
| Virgin Islands | $33.34 | Unavailable |
| Virginia | $32.43 | Unavailable |
| Visalia | $35.34 | Unavailable |
| West Virginia | $29.99 | Unavailable |
| Wisconsin | $31.52 | Unavailable |
| Wyoming** | $32.89 | Unavailable |
| Yuba City | $35.34 | Unavailable |
71120 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.
$29.12
$40.10
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 | $37.78 | 1 |
| AL | $29.56 | 1 |
| AR | $29.12 | 1 |
| AZ | $32.17 | 1 |
| CA | $35.34–$44.86 | 29 |
| CO | $34.65 | 1 |
| CT | $35.32 | 1 |
| DC | $38.08 | 1 |
| DE | $32.72 | 1 |
| FL | $32.27–$35.14 | 3 |
| GA | $30.42–$33.63 | 2 |
| GU | $36.31 | 1 |
| HI | $36.31 | 1 |
| IA | $30.48 | 1 |
| ID | $30.66 | 1 |
| IL | $31.21–$34.32 | 4 |
| IN | $30.85 | 1 |
| KS | $30.27 | 1 |
| KY | $30.16 | 1 |
| LA | $30.08–$31.64 | 2 |
| MA | $34.40–$38.26 | 2 |
| MD | $33.39–$38.08 | 3 |
| ME | $30.76–$32.59 | 2 |
| MI | $30.92–$32.62 | 2 |
| MN | $33.34 | 1 |
| MO | $29.50–$31.83 | 3 |
| MS | $29.32 | 1 |
| MT | $33.07 | 1 |
| NC | $31.10 | 1 |
| ND | $32.67 | 1 |
| NE | $30.67 | 1 |
| NH | $34.04 | 1 |
| NJ | $35.77–$37.65 | 2 |
| NM | $31.07 | 1 |
| NV | $32.98 | 1 |
| NY | $31.58–$38.93 | 5 |
| OH | $30.83 | 1 |
| OK | $30.17 | 1 |
| OR | $32.77–$35.86 | 2 |
| PA | $30.92–$34.37 | 2 |
| PR | $33.34 | 1 |
| RI | $33.97 | 1 |
| SC | $31.01 | 1 |
| SD | $32.62 | 1 |
| TN | $30.42 | 1 |
| TX | $30.70–$34.50 | 8 |
| UT | $31.46 | 1 |
| VA | $32.43–$38.08 | 2 |
| VI | $33.34 | 1 |
| VT | $32.48 | 1 |
| WA | $34.36–$39.12 | 2 |
| WI | $31.52 | 1 |
| WV | $29.99 | 1 |
| WY | $32.89 | 1 |
How the 71120 rate is calculated
Each of 71120’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 · 71120
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
Work 0.20Practice expense 0.77Malpractice 0.02
All indexes start at 1.000 (the national rate). Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 71120
The CMS indicators that decide how 71120 is paid alongside other services.
CMS payment indicators · 71120
Sternum 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) | 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
71120 without 26 · national office
$33.07
Sternum X-ray
71120-26 · Professional component
$9.35
Pays only the interpretation and report.
71120 compared with similar codes
Compare codes
71120 vs 71100 vs 71101 vs 71130: national Medicare rates
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
How to choose
- 71100Rib X-ray
- 71100 is for unilateral rib imaging. Choose 71120 when the examination is directed at the sternum rather than the ribs.
- 71101Rib X-ray
- 71101 covers unilateral rib imaging that includes a chest view. It does not replace a study centered on the sternum.
- 71130Joint X-ray
- 71130 evaluates the sternoclavicular joints. Use 71120 when the radiographic target is the sternum itself.
71120 billing questions
When should this be selected instead of a rib study?
Use this code when the examination is centered on the sternum. Select a rib code when the documented target is the ribs, with or without a chest view.
Does each additional sternum view require another unit?
No. The code represents the sternum examination with two or more views; additional projections within that examination do not create additional units.
How do modifiers 26 and TC apply?
Modifier 26 identifies the professional interpretation, while TC identifies the technical service, including equipment and staff. Without either modifier, the claim represents the global service.
What documentation supports reporting this examination?
The record should identify the sternum as the imaging target, document the clinical reason for the study, and include the acquired views and interpretation.
Is a sternoclavicular joint study interchangeable with this code?
No. This examination targets the sternum; a sternoclavicular joint study targets the joints where the clavicles meet the sternum.
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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