CPT 72285: DiscographyMedicare rate & RVUs

Medicare pays $144.96 for 72285 nationally in the office. Local office rates run $129.27–$194.99.

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

What 72285 covers

Cervical or thoracic discography uses image-guided contrast injection into one or more intervertebral discs, with imaging used to assess the discs and the patient's response. A radiologist, spine specialist, or pain physician may perform or interpret the study in a hospital or outpatient setting. This code represents the radiological supervision and interpretation, not the disc injection itself. The study may be used when a treating team is evaluating suspected disc-related pain, including as part of planning further spine treatment.

Report 72285 for the cervical or thoracic imaging service and use 62291 for the corresponding disc injection procedure when performed. The record should identify the region and disc levels examined and include the imaging interpretation. CMS recognizes professional and technical components: modifier 26 identifies the interpretation, modifier TC identifies the equipment and staff, and billing 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 72285 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

72285 rates by state

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

How the 72285 rate is calculated

Each of 72285’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 72285

The CMS indicators that decide how 72285 is paid alongside other services.

What modifiers do to the payment

When to use modifier 26

72285 compared with similar codes

How to choose

72295Discography imaging

Both codes report discography imaging supervision and interpretation; 72285 is for cervical or thoracic discs, while 72295 is for lumbar discs.

62291Discography

62291 describes the cervical or thoracic disc injection procedure. 72285 reports the imaging supervision and interpretation for the study.

72255Myelography

72255 is thoracic myelography, which evaluates the spinal canal and related structures; 72285 is thoracic discography imaging and interpretation.

72240Myelography

72240 is cervical myelography, not discography. Choose 72285 when the study images cervical discs as part of discography.

Codes related to 72285

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