Billing code 73560: Knee X-rayMedicare rate & RVUs

Medicare pays $34.40 for 73560 nationally in the office. Local office rates run $30.08–$47.23.

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

What 73560 covers

This study captures one or two distinct radiographic views of a single knee, most often an anteroposterior and a lateral projection. Orthopedic surgeons, primary care physicians, urgent care clinicians, and emergency clinicians order it to look for fractures, effusion, joint space narrowing, osteophytes, loose bodies, or hardware position after surgery. A radiologic technologist acquires the images in an office, imaging center, or hospital, and a radiologist or the treating physician interprets them and documents a written report.

Code selection depends on the number of views of one knee. One or two views fall here, while three views or four or more views move to the higher codes. The report should state the views obtained, findings, and impression. The service splits into a professional component (modifier 26, interpretation) and a technical component (modifier TC, equipment and staff); billing without a modifier claims the global service, which is typical when an office owns the equipment and reads its own films. When both knees receive separate unilateral examinations, report each knee with RT or LT. 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 73560 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

73560 rates by state

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

How the 73560 rate is calculated

Each of 73560’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 73560

The CMS indicators that decide how 73560 is paid alongside other services.

What modifiers do to the payment

When to use modifier 26

73560 compared with similar codes

How to choose

73562Knee X-ray

Choose 73562 when exactly three projections of one knee are documented, often AP, lateral, and an oblique or patellar view; 73560 is limited to one or two views.

73564Knee X-ray

Use 73564 for four or more views of one knee, such as a complete series with tunnel and sunrise views; 73560 covers only one or two.

73565Knee X-ray

73565 is a single standing AP image capturing both knees together for comparison; 73560 images one knee, and separate unilateral examinations are reported per side.

73590Lower-leg X-ray

73590 images the tibia and fibula shafts of the lower leg; 73560 is centered on the knee joint itself.

Codes related to 73560

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