Billing code 73010: Scapula X-rayMedicare rate & RVUs
Reports a dedicated radiographic examination of the scapula when evaluation focuses on the shoulder blade, such as after trauma or with localized pain.
Medicare pays $25.05 for 73010 nationally in the office. Local office rates run $22.09–$33.63.
Medicare rate · 73010
Scapula X-ray
- Work RVUs
- 0.17
- Total RVUs
- 0.75
- Global days
- XXX
National rate · 2026
$25.05
Office setting, before claim adjustments.
See every locality for 73010 →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 73010 covers
This code represents a dedicated X-ray study centered on the scapula, the shoulder blade. It is commonly ordered after trauma or for pain or suspected injury localized to the scapula, including evaluation for a fracture. A radiologic technologist obtains the images, and a radiologist or other qualified interpreting practitioner reviews them. The study may be performed in an imaging department, hospital, emergency department, or office setting.
Choose this service when the clinical question concerns the scapula itself, rather than a general evaluation of the shoulder joint or another nearby bone. The order and report should identify the scapular concern and support the dedicated examination performed. CMS allows the professional interpretation to be billed with modifier 26 and the equipment and staff portion with modifier TC; billing without either modifier represents the global service. When both scapulae are examined, CMS pays each side separately at 100%.
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 73010 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
$22.09 to $33.63
109 of 109 payment localities
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $22.42 | Unavailable |
| Alaska* | $28.81 | Unavailable |
| Arizona | $24.37 | Unavailable |
| Arkansas | $22.09 | Unavailable |
| Atlanta | $25.50 | Unavailable |
| Austin | $26.07 | Unavailable |
| Bakersfield | $26.69 | Unavailable |
| Baltimore/Surr. Cntys | $26.67 | Unavailable |
| Beaumont | $23.32 | Unavailable |
| Brazoria | $24.78 | Unavailable |
| Chicago | $26.05 | Unavailable |
| Chico | $26.63 | Unavailable |
| Colorado | $26.17 | Unavailable |
| Connecticut | $26.74 | Unavailable |
| Dallas | $24.93 | Unavailable |
| Dc + Md/Va Suburbs | $28.76 | Unavailable |
| Delaware | $24.79 | Unavailable |
| Detroit | $24.85 | Unavailable |
| East St. Louis | $24.23 | Unavailable |
| El Centro | $26.64 | Unavailable |
| Fort Lauderdale | $25.83 | Unavailable |
| Fort Worth | $24.75 | Unavailable |
| Fresno | $26.63 | Unavailable |
| Galveston | $24.85 | Unavailable |
| Hanford-Corcoran | $26.63 | Unavailable |
| Hawaii, Guam | $27.33 | Unavailable |
| Houston | $25.22 | Unavailable |
| Idaho | $23.20 | Unavailable |
| Indiana | $23.34 | Unavailable |
| Iowa | $23.06 | Unavailable |
| Kansas | $22.92 | Unavailable |
| Kentucky | $22.92 | Unavailable |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim (Los Angeles/Orange Cnty) | $28.48 | Unavailable |
| Madera | $26.63 | Unavailable |
| Manhattan | $28.84 | Unavailable |
| Merced | $26.63 | Unavailable |
| Metropolitan Boston | $28.84 | Unavailable |
| Metropolitan Kansas City | $23.89 | Unavailable |
| Metropolitan Philadelphia | $26.05 | Unavailable |
| Metropolitan St. Louis | $24.15 | Unavailable |
| Miami | $26.84 | Unavailable |
| Minnesota | $25.12 | Unavailable |
| Mississippi | $22.28 | Unavailable |
| Modesto | $26.63 | Unavailable |
| Montana** | $25.05 | Unavailable |
| Napa | $31.03 | Unavailable |
| Nebraska | $23.19 | Unavailable |
| Nevada** | $24.96 | Unavailable |
| New Hampshire | $25.73 | Unavailable |
| New Mexico | $23.63 | Unavailable |
| New Orleans | $24.04 | Unavailable |
| North Carolina | $23.56 | Unavailable |
| North Dakota** | $24.65 | Unavailable |
| Northern Nj | $28.45 | Unavailable |
| Nyc Suburbs/Long Island | $29.52 | Unavailable |
| Ohio | $23.43 | Unavailable |
| Oklahoma | $22.90 | Unavailable |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura | $28.36 | Unavailable |
| Portland | $27.05 | Unavailable |
| Poughkpsie/N Nyc Suburbs | $27.22 | Unavailable |
| Puerto Rico | $25.25 | Unavailable |
| Queens | $29.11 | Unavailable |
| Redding | $26.63 | Unavailable |
| Rest Of California | $26.63 | Unavailable |
| Rest Of Florida | $24.56 | Unavailable |
| Rest Of Georgia | $23.16 | Unavailable |
| Rest Of Illinois | $23.80 | Unavailable |
| Rest Of Louisiana | $22.87 | Unavailable |
| Rest Of Maine | $23.30 | Unavailable |
| Rest Of Maryland | $25.28 | Unavailable |
| Rest Of Massachusetts | $26.00 | Unavailable |
| Rest Of Michigan | $23.51 | Unavailable |
| Rest Of Missouri | $22.45 | Unavailable |
| Rest Of New Jersey | $27.06 | Unavailable |
| Rest Of New York | $23.92 | Unavailable |
| Rest Of Oregon | $24.78 | Unavailable |
| Rest Of Pennsylvania | $23.48 | Unavailable |
| Rest Of Texas | $24.03 | Unavailable |
| Rest Of Washington | $25.96 | Unavailable |
| Rhode Island | $25.70 | Unavailable |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario | $26.85 | Unavailable |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom | $27.99 | Unavailable |
| Salinas | $27.89 | Unavailable |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $28.58 | Unavailable |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley (Marin Cnty) | $32.90 | Unavailable |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley (San Francisco/San Mateo/Alameda/Contra Costa Cnty) | $32.87 | Unavailable |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara (San Benito Cnty) | $33.63 | Unavailable |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara (Santa Clara Cnty) | $33.54 | Unavailable |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles | $27.44 | Unavailable |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville | $28.88 | Unavailable |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara | $28.00 | Unavailable |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma | $29.18 | Unavailable |
| Seattle (King Cnty) | $29.46 | Unavailable |
| South Carolina | $23.53 | Unavailable |
| South Dakota** | $24.61 | Unavailable |
| Southern Maine | $24.64 | Unavailable |
| Stockton | $26.63 | Unavailable |
| Suburban Chicago | $26.11 | Unavailable |
| Tennessee | $23.04 | Unavailable |
| Utah | $23.86 | Unavailable |
| Vallejo | $31.00 | Unavailable |
| Vermont | $24.53 | Unavailable |
| Virgin Islands | $25.25 | Unavailable |
| Virginia | $24.54 | Unavailable |
| Visalia | $26.63 | Unavailable |
| West Virginia | $22.89 | Unavailable |
| Wisconsin | $23.80 | Unavailable |
| Wyoming** | $24.88 | Unavailable |
| Yuba City | $26.63 | Unavailable |
73010 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.
$22.09
$30.13
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 | $28.81 | 1 |
| AL | $22.42 | 1 |
| AR | $22.09 | 1 |
| AZ | $24.37 | 1 |
| CA | $26.63–$33.63 | 29 |
| CO | $26.17 | 1 |
| CT | $26.74 | 1 |
| DC | $28.76 | 1 |
| DE | $24.79 | 1 |
| FL | $24.56–$26.84 | 3 |
| GA | $23.16–$25.50 | 2 |
| GU | $27.33 | 1 |
| HI | $27.33 | 1 |
| IA | $23.06 | 1 |
| ID | $23.20 | 1 |
| IL | $23.80–$26.11 | 4 |
| IN | $23.34 | 1 |
| KS | $22.92 | 1 |
| KY | $22.92 | 1 |
| LA | $22.87–$24.04 | 2 |
| MA | $26.00–$28.84 | 2 |
| MD | $25.28–$28.76 | 3 |
| ME | $23.30–$24.64 | 2 |
| MI | $23.51–$24.85 | 2 |
| MN | $25.12 | 1 |
| MO | $22.45–$24.15 | 3 |
| MS | $22.28 | 1 |
| MT | $25.05 | 1 |
| NC | $23.56 | 1 |
| ND | $24.65 | 1 |
| NE | $23.19 | 1 |
| NH | $25.73 | 1 |
| NJ | $27.06–$28.45 | 2 |
| NM | $23.63 | 1 |
| NV | $24.96 | 1 |
| NY | $23.92–$29.52 | 5 |
| OH | $23.43 | 1 |
| OK | $22.90 | 1 |
| OR | $24.78–$27.05 | 2 |
| PA | $23.48–$26.05 | 2 |
| PR | $25.25 | 1 |
| RI | $25.70 | 1 |
| SC | $23.53 | 1 |
| SD | $24.61 | 1 |
| TN | $23.04 | 1 |
| TX | $23.32–$26.07 | 8 |
| UT | $23.86 | 1 |
| VA | $24.54–$28.76 | 2 |
| VI | $25.25 | 1 |
| VT | $24.53 | 1 |
| WA | $25.96–$29.46 | 2 |
| WI | $23.80 | 1 |
| WV | $22.89 | 1 |
| WY | $24.88 | 1 |
How the 73010 rate is calculated
Each of 73010’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 · 73010
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work0.17
0.17 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense0.56
0.56 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice0.02
0.02 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
0.7500
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$25.05
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 73010
The CMS indicators that decide how 73010 is paid alongside other services.
CMS payment indicators · 73010
Scapula 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
73010 without 26 · national office
$25.05
Scapula X-ray
73010-26 · Professional component
$9.02
Pays only the interpretation and report.
73010 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
4 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 73020Shoulder X-ray
- 73020 is a limited shoulder-joint study. Choose 73010 when the examination is specifically directed at the scapula.
- 73030Shoulder X-ray
- 73030 covers a broader shoulder examination, while 73010 targets the scapula. Select according to the anatomy and clinical question documented.
- 73000Clavicle X-ray
- 73000 evaluates the clavicle; 73010 evaluates the shoulder blade. The documented target bone distinguishes the services.
73010 billing questions
When should 73010 be chosen instead of a shoulder X-ray code?
Use 73010 when the examination is directed at the scapula. A shoulder study is appropriate when the clinical question centers on the shoulder joint rather than the shoulder blade.
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 73010 reported when both scapulae are examined?
CMS pays each side separately at 100%. Identify the right and left sides as required by the claim format.
Does 73010 include the radiologist's interpretation when billed globally?
Yes. A global service includes both the image acquisition and the professional interpretation; modifier 26 or TC identifies a separately billed component.
What documentation supports reporting 73010?
The order and report should establish that the scapula was the target of the examination and document the clinical concern, such as localized scapular pain or suspected injury.
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 73010 and the rest of your codes on one sheet
Build a fee sheet from your own code list at your locality, put your payer contracts beside Medicare, and see what changed each quarter.
Build my fee sheetOr price your code list free →