Billing code 72072: Spine X-rayMedicare rate & RVUs
Three-view thoracic spine radiography evaluates the mid-back for findings such as fracture, alignment changes, or degenerative disease.
Medicare pays $38.75 for 72072 nationally in the office. Local office rates run $34.09–$52.83.
Medicare rate · 72072
Spine X-ray
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
- Work RVUs
- 0.22
- Total RVUs
- 1.16
- Global days
- XXX
National rate · 2026
$38.75
Office setting, before claim adjustments.
See every locality for 72072 → · 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 72072 covers
This service is an X-ray examination of the thoracic spine using three views. It is commonly ordered to assess mid-back pain, suspected injury or compression fracture, spinal alignment, or degenerative changes. A radiologic technologist acquires the images in a hospital, imaging center, or office; a radiologist or other qualified physician interprets them and documents the findings. The views are selected to show the thoracic vertebrae and relevant anatomy, with the imaging protocol guided by the clinical question.
Report this code when the thoracic spine examination includes three views. The order and report should support the body region examined, the clinical reason, and the images obtained. CMS recognizes a professional component for interpretation and a technical component for equipment and staff: bill modifier 26 for the professional service, modifier TC for the technical service, or neither modifier when billing the global service. The recorded view count helps distinguish this examination from two-view and four-or-more-view thoracic spine studies.
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 72072 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
$34.09 to $52.83
109 of 109 payment localities
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $34.61 | Unavailable |
| Alaska* | $44.12 | Unavailable |
| Arizona | $37.70 | Unavailable |
| Arkansas | $34.09 | Unavailable |
| Atlanta | $39.39 | Unavailable |
| Austin | $40.47 | Unavailable |
| Bakersfield | $41.57 | Unavailable |
| Baltimore/Surr. Cntys | $41.26 | Unavailable |
| Beaumont | $35.93 | Unavailable |
| Brazoria | $38.38 | Unavailable |
| Chicago | $39.82 | Unavailable |
| Chico | $41.51 | Unavailable |
| Colorado | $40.65 | Unavailable |
| Connecticut | $41.40 | Unavailable |
| Dallas | $38.59 | Unavailable |
| Dc + Md/Va Suburbs | $44.69 | Unavailable |
| Delaware | $38.35 | Unavailable |
| Detroit | $38.13 | Unavailable |
| East St. Louis | $36.96 | Unavailable |
| El Centro | $41.51 | Unavailable |
| Fort Lauderdale | $39.68 | Unavailable |
| Fort Worth | $38.29 | Unavailable |
| Fresno | $41.51 | Unavailable |
| Galveston | $38.47 | Unavailable |
| Hanford-Corcoran | $41.51 | Unavailable |
| Hawaii, Guam | $42.67 | Unavailable |
| Houston | $38.84 | Unavailable |
| Idaho | $35.93 | Unavailable |
| Indiana | $36.16 | Unavailable |
| Iowa | $35.73 | Unavailable |
| Kansas | $35.46 | Unavailable |
| Kentucky | $35.28 | Unavailable |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim (Los Angeles/Orange Cnty) | $44.45 | Unavailable |
| Madera | $41.51 | Unavailable |
| Manhattan | $44.58 | Unavailable |
| Merced | $41.51 | Unavailable |
| Metropolitan Boston | $44.93 | Unavailable |
| Metropolitan Kansas City | $36.86 | Unavailable |
| Metropolitan Philadelphia | $40.27 | Unavailable |
| Metropolitan St. Louis | $37.27 | Unavailable |
| Miami | $41.03 | Unavailable |
| Minnesota | $39.17 | Unavailable |
| Mississippi | $34.30 | Unavailable |
| Modesto | $41.51 | Unavailable |
| Montana** | $38.74 | Unavailable |
| Napa | $48.65 | Unavailable |
| Nebraska | $35.96 | Unavailable |
| Nevada** | $38.66 | Unavailable |
| New Hampshire | $39.92 | Unavailable |
| New Mexico | $36.33 | Unavailable |
| New Orleans | $37.02 | Unavailable |
| North Carolina | $36.45 | Unavailable |
| North Dakota** | $38.35 | Unavailable |
| Northern Nj | $44.17 | Unavailable |
| Nyc Suburbs/Long Island | $45.60 | Unavailable |
| Ohio | $36.08 | Unavailable |
| Oklahoma | $35.31 | Unavailable |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura | $44.29 | Unavailable |
| Portland | $42.10 | Unavailable |
| Poughkpsie/N Nyc Suburbs | $42.14 | Unavailable |
| Puerto Rico | $39.07 | Unavailable |
| Queens | $45.10 | Unavailable |
| Redding | $41.51 | Unavailable |
| Rest Of California | $41.51 | Unavailable |
| Rest Of Florida | $37.73 | Unavailable |
| Rest Of Georgia | $35.55 | Unavailable |
| Rest Of Illinois | $36.45 | Unavailable |
| Rest Of Louisiana | $35.18 | Unavailable |
| Rest Of Maine | $36.03 | Unavailable |
| Rest Of Maryland | $39.13 | Unavailable |
| Rest Of Massachusetts | $40.36 | Unavailable |
| Rest Of Michigan | $36.16 | Unavailable |
| Rest Of Missouri | $34.49 | Unavailable |
| Rest Of New Jersey | $41.93 | Unavailable |
| Rest Of New York | $37.01 | Unavailable |
| Rest Of Oregon | $38.42 | Unavailable |
| Rest Of Pennsylvania | $36.19 | Unavailable |
| Rest Of Texas | $37.11 | Unavailable |
| Rest Of Washington | $40.31 | Unavailable |
| Rhode Island | $39.83 | Unavailable |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario | $41.73 | Unavailable |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom | $43.71 | Unavailable |
| Salinas | $43.55 | Unavailable |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $44.68 | Unavailable |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley (Marin Cnty) | $51.68 | Unavailable |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley (San Francisco/San Mateo/Alameda/Contra Costa Cnty) | $51.66 | Unavailable |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara (San Benito Cnty) | $52.83 | Unavailable |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara (Santa Clara Cnty) | $52.73 | Unavailable |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles | $42.83 | Unavailable |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville | $45.20 | Unavailable |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara | $43.74 | Unavailable |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma | $45.66 | Unavailable |
| Seattle (King Cnty) | $45.97 | Unavailable |
| South Carolina | $36.31 | Unavailable |
| South Dakota** | $38.30 | Unavailable |
| Southern Maine | $38.22 | Unavailable |
| Stockton | $41.51 | Unavailable |
| Suburban Chicago | $40.14 | Unavailable |
| Tennessee | $35.64 | Unavailable |
| Utah | $36.83 | Unavailable |
| Vallejo | $48.62 | Unavailable |
| Vermont | $38.11 | Unavailable |
| Virgin Islands | $39.07 | Unavailable |
| Virginia | $38.03 | Unavailable |
| Visalia | $41.51 | Unavailable |
| West Virginia | $35.01 | Unavailable |
| Wisconsin | $36.99 | Unavailable |
| Wyoming** | $38.57 | Unavailable |
| Yuba City | $41.51 | Unavailable |
72072 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.
$34.09
$47.17
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 | $44.12 | 1 |
| AL | $34.61 | 1 |
| AR | $34.09 | 1 |
| AZ | $37.70 | 1 |
| CA | $41.51–$52.83 | 29 |
| CO | $40.65 | 1 |
| CT | $41.40 | 1 |
| DC | $44.69 | 1 |
| DE | $38.35 | 1 |
| FL | $37.73–$41.03 | 3 |
| GA | $35.55–$39.39 | 2 |
| GU | $42.67 | 1 |
| HI | $42.67 | 1 |
| IA | $35.73 | 1 |
| ID | $35.93 | 1 |
| IL | $36.45–$40.14 | 4 |
| IN | $36.16 | 1 |
| KS | $35.46 | 1 |
| KY | $35.28 | 1 |
| LA | $35.18–$37.02 | 2 |
| MA | $40.36–$44.93 | 2 |
| MD | $39.13–$44.69 | 3 |
| ME | $36.03–$38.22 | 2 |
| MI | $36.16–$38.13 | 2 |
| MN | $39.17 | 1 |
| MO | $34.49–$37.27 | 3 |
| MS | $34.30 | 1 |
| MT | $38.74 | 1 |
| NC | $36.45 | 1 |
| ND | $38.35 | 1 |
| NE | $35.96 | 1 |
| NH | $39.92 | 1 |
| NJ | $41.93–$44.17 | 2 |
| NM | $36.33 | 1 |
| NV | $38.66 | 1 |
| NY | $37.01–$45.60 | 5 |
| OH | $36.08 | 1 |
| OK | $35.31 | 1 |
| OR | $38.42–$42.10 | 2 |
| PA | $36.19–$40.27 | 2 |
| PR | $39.07 | 1 |
| RI | $39.83 | 1 |
| SC | $36.31 | 1 |
| SD | $38.30 | 1 |
| TN | $35.64 | 1 |
| TX | $35.93–$40.47 | 8 |
| UT | $36.83 | 1 |
| VA | $38.03–$44.69 | 2 |
| VI | $39.07 | 1 |
| VT | $38.11 | 1 |
| WA | $40.31–$45.97 | 2 |
| WI | $36.99 | 1 |
| WV | $35.01 | 1 |
| WY | $38.57 | 1 |
How the 72072 rate is calculated
Each of 72072’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 · 72072
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
Work 0.22Practice expense 0.92Malpractice 0.02
All indexes start at 1.000 (the national rate). Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 72072
The CMS indicators that decide how 72072 is paid alongside other services.
CMS payment indicators · 72072
Spine 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
72072 without 26 · national office
$38.75
Spine X-ray
72072-26 · Professional component
$10.35
Pays only the interpretation and report.
72072 compared with similar codes
Compare codes
72072 vs 72070 vs 72074 vs 72080 vs 72082: national Medicare rates
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
How to choose
- 72070Thoracic spine X-ray
- 72070 describes two thoracic spine views; 72072 describes three. Use the documented number of views obtained.
- 72074Thoracic spine X-ray
- 72074 is for four or more thoracic spine views. It is not the three-view selection.
- 72080Spine X-ray
- 72080 describes imaging of the thoracolumbar region. Choose 72072 for a thoracic-only examination.
- 72082Spine X-ray
- 72082 covers the entire spine with two or three views. 72072 is limited to the thoracic spine.
72072 billing questions
How does this differ from 72070?
72070 is for a two-view thoracic spine examination. Report 72072 when three views are obtained and documented.
When is 72074 more appropriate?
Use 72074 when four or more thoracic spine views are performed. The number of views obtained distinguishes it from this three-view study.
Can the professional and technical services be billed separately?
Yes. Modifier 26 identifies the interpretation, and modifier TC identifies the equipment and staff service. Billing without either modifier represents the global service.
What documentation supports reporting three views?
The imaging record should identify the thoracic spine examination and show that three views were acquired. The report should document the interpretation and the clinical indication.
Should this code be used for imaging of the entire spine?
No. This code describes a thoracic spine examination only. A whole-spine study is distinguished by its coverage and view count.
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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