Billing code 73565: Knee X-rayMedicare rate & RVUs
Bilateral standing knee radiography captures weight-bearing alignment and joint spaces in both knees, commonly during evaluation of degenerative knee symptoms.
Medicare pays $42.09 for 73565 nationally in the office. Local office rates run $36.67–$58.31.
Medicare rate · 73565
Knee X-ray
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
- Work RVUs
- 0.16
- Total RVUs
- 1.26
- Global days
- XXX
National rate · 2026
$42.09
Office setting, before claim adjustments.
See every locality for 73565 → · 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 73565 covers
This study obtains a weight-bearing frontal image of both knees, allowing comparison of alignment and joint-space appearance under load. It is commonly ordered when evaluating knee osteoarthritis or other conditions in which standing alignment or joint-space narrowing matters. A radiologic technologist positions the patient for the image; a radiologist or other qualified physician interprets it. The service is performed in imaging departments, hospitals, and outpatient imaging settings.
Report the code for the bilateral standing AP study, rather than selecting a unilateral knee code based only on the number of images. The order and imaging record should support bilateral imaging in the standing position, and the interpretation should document the findings. The code is already priced as bilateral, so modifier 50 does not increase payment. The professional interpretation may be billed with modifier 26, the equipment and staff portion with modifier TC, or the global service without a modifier.
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 73565 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
$36.67 to $58.31
109 of 109 payment localities
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $37.29 | Unavailable |
| Alaska* | $46.80 | Unavailable |
| Arizona | $40.87 | Unavailable |
| Arkansas | $36.67 | Unavailable |
| Atlanta | $42.81 | Unavailable |
| Austin | $44.11 | Unavailable |
| Bakersfield | $45.39 | Unavailable |
| Baltimore/Surr. Cntys | $44.96 | Unavailable |
| Beaumont | $38.79 | Unavailable |
| Brazoria | $41.66 | Unavailable |
| Chicago | $43.17 | Unavailable |
| Chico | $45.33 | Unavailable |
| Colorado | $44.31 | Unavailable |
| Connecticut | $45.11 | Unavailable |
| Dallas | $41.89 | Unavailable |
| Dc + Md/Va Suburbs | $48.87 | Unavailable |
| Delaware | $41.61 | Unavailable |
| Detroit | $41.28 | Unavailable |
| East St. Louis | $39.88 | Unavailable |
| El Centro | $45.33 | Unavailable |
| Fort Lauderdale | $43.09 | Unavailable |
| Fort Worth | $41.54 | Unavailable |
| Fresno | $45.33 | Unavailable |
| Galveston | $41.76 | Unavailable |
| Hanford-Corcoran | $45.33 | Unavailable |
| Hawaii, Guam | $46.75 | Unavailable |
| Houston | $42.13 | Unavailable |
| Idaho | $38.85 | Unavailable |
| Indiana | $39.11 | Unavailable |
| Iowa | $38.62 | Unavailable |
| Kansas | $38.29 | Unavailable |
| Kentucky | $38.02 | Unavailable |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim (Los Angeles/Orange Cnty) | $48.68 | Unavailable |
| Madera | $45.33 | Unavailable |
| Manhattan | $48.66 | Unavailable |
| Merced | $45.33 | Unavailable |
| Metropolitan Boston | $49.23 | Unavailable |
| Metropolitan Kansas City | $39.87 | Unavailable |
| Metropolitan Philadelphia | $43.79 | Unavailable |
| Metropolitan St. Louis | $40.35 | Unavailable |
| Miami | $44.59 | Unavailable |
| Minnesota | $42.66 | Unavailable |
| Mississippi | $36.90 | Unavailable |
| Modesto | $45.33 | Unavailable |
| Montana** | $42.08 | Unavailable |
| Napa | $53.56 | Unavailable |
| Nebraska | $38.89 | Unavailable |
| Nevada** | $42.01 | Unavailable |
| New Hampshire | $43.48 | Unavailable |
| New Mexico | $39.23 | Unavailable |
| New Orleans | $40.05 | Unavailable |
| North Carolina | $39.43 | Unavailable |
| North Dakota** | $41.69 | Unavailable |
| Northern Nj | $48.24 | Unavailable |
| Nyc Suburbs/Long Island | $49.82 | Unavailable |
| Ohio | $38.95 | Unavailable |
| Oklahoma | $38.08 | Unavailable |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura | $48.55 | Unavailable |
| Portland | $46.00 | Unavailable |
| Poughkpsie/N Nyc Suburbs | $45.89 | Unavailable |
| Puerto Rico | $42.47 | Unavailable |
| Queens | $49.29 | Unavailable |
| Redding | $45.33 | Unavailable |
| Rest Of California | $45.33 | Unavailable |
| Rest Of Florida | $40.83 | Unavailable |
| Rest Of Georgia | $38.32 | Unavailable |
| Rest Of Illinois | $39.32 | Unavailable |
| Rest Of Louisiana | $37.91 | Unavailable |
| Rest Of Maine | $38.95 | Unavailable |
| Rest Of Maryland | $42.52 | Unavailable |
| Rest Of Massachusetts | $43.95 | Unavailable |
| Rest Of Michigan | $39.03 | Unavailable |
| Rest Of Missouri | $37.09 | Unavailable |
| Rest Of New Jersey | $45.68 | Unavailable |
| Rest Of New York | $40.08 | Unavailable |
| Rest Of Oregon | $41.74 | Unavailable |
| Rest Of Pennsylvania | $39.09 | Unavailable |
| Rest Of Texas | $40.18 | Unavailable |
| Rest Of Washington | $43.91 | Unavailable |
| Rhode Island | $43.30 | Unavailable |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario | $45.55 | Unavailable |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom | $47.85 | Unavailable |
| Salinas | $47.68 | Unavailable |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $49.01 | Unavailable |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley (Marin Cnty) | $57.02 | Unavailable |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley (San Francisco/San Mateo/Alameda/Contra Costa Cnty) | $57.00 | Unavailable |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara (San Benito Cnty) | $58.31 | Unavailable |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara (Santa Clara Cnty) | $58.21 | Unavailable |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles | $46.88 | Unavailable |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville | $49.64 | Unavailable |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara | $47.91 | Unavailable |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma | $50.16 | Unavailable |
| Seattle (King Cnty) | $50.42 | Unavailable |
| South Carolina | $39.24 | Unavailable |
| South Dakota** | $41.64 | Unavailable |
| Southern Maine | $41.51 | Unavailable |
| Stockton | $45.33 | Unavailable |
| Suburban Chicago | $43.61 | Unavailable |
| Tennessee | $38.49 | Unavailable |
| Utah | $39.85 | Unavailable |
| Vallejo | $53.53 | Unavailable |
| Vermont | $41.39 | Unavailable |
| Virgin Islands | $42.47 | Unavailable |
| Virginia | $41.28 | Unavailable |
| Visalia | $45.33 | Unavailable |
| West Virginia | $37.65 | Unavailable |
| Wisconsin | $40.11 | Unavailable |
| Wyoming** | $41.91 | Unavailable |
| Yuba City | $45.33 | Unavailable |
73565 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.
$36.67
$51.82
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 | $46.80 | 1 |
| AL | $37.29 | 1 |
| AR | $36.67 | 1 |
| AZ | $40.87 | 1 |
| CA | $45.33–$58.31 | 29 |
| CO | $44.31 | 1 |
| CT | $45.11 | 1 |
| DC | $48.87 | 1 |
| DE | $41.61 | 1 |
| FL | $40.83–$44.59 | 3 |
| GA | $38.32–$42.81 | 2 |
| GU | $46.75 | 1 |
| HI | $46.75 | 1 |
| IA | $38.62 | 1 |
| ID | $38.85 | 1 |
| IL | $39.32–$43.61 | 4 |
| IN | $39.11 | 1 |
| KS | $38.29 | 1 |
| KY | $38.02 | 1 |
| LA | $37.91–$40.05 | 2 |
| MA | $43.95–$49.23 | 2 |
| MD | $42.52–$48.87 | 3 |
| ME | $38.95–$41.51 | 2 |
| MI | $39.03–$41.28 | 2 |
| MN | $42.66 | 1 |
| MO | $37.09–$40.35 | 3 |
| MS | $36.90 | 1 |
| MT | $42.08 | 1 |
| NC | $39.43 | 1 |
| ND | $41.69 | 1 |
| NE | $38.89 | 1 |
| NH | $43.48 | 1 |
| NJ | $45.68–$48.24 | 2 |
| NM | $39.23 | 1 |
| NV | $42.01 | 1 |
| NY | $40.08–$49.82 | 5 |
| OH | $38.95 | 1 |
| OK | $38.08 | 1 |
| OR | $41.74–$46.00 | 2 |
| PA | $39.09–$43.79 | 2 |
| PR | $42.47 | 1 |
| RI | $43.30 | 1 |
| SC | $39.24 | 1 |
| SD | $41.64 | 1 |
| TN | $38.49 | 1 |
| TX | $38.79–$44.11 | 8 |
| UT | $39.85 | 1 |
| VA | $41.28–$48.87 | 2 |
| VI | $42.47 | 1 |
| VT | $41.39 | 1 |
| WA | $43.91–$50.42 | 2 |
| WI | $40.11 | 1 |
| WV | $37.65 | 1 |
| WY | $41.91 | 1 |
How the 73565 rate is calculated
Each of 73565’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 · 73565
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
Work 0.16Practice expense 1.08Malpractice 0.02
All indexes start at 1.000 (the national rate). Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 73565
The CMS indicators that decide how 73565 is paid alongside other services.
CMS payment indicators · 73565
Knee 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) | 2 | Already bilateral by definition: paid once at 100%. |
| 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
73565 without 26 · national office
$42.09
Knee X-ray
73565-26 · Professional component
$8.35
Pays only the interpretation and report.
73565 compared with similar codes
Compare codes
73565 vs 73560 vs 73562 vs 73564: national Medicare rates
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
How to choose
- 73560Knee X-ray
- 73560 represents a unilateral knee examination with one or two views. Choose 73565 for the bilateral standing AP study.
- 73562Knee X-ray
- 73562 is for a unilateral three-view knee examination. It does not describe the bilateral standing AP study represented by 73565.
- 73564Knee X-ray
- 73564 represents a unilateral knee examination with four or more views. Use 73565 for bilateral standing AP imaging, not a unilateral multi-view series.
73565 billing questions
When should this code be chosen instead of a unilateral knee X-ray code?
Use this code for the bilateral standing AP knee study. Codes 73560, 73562, and 73564 describe unilateral knee examinations selected by the number of views.
Should modifier 50 be appended for imaging both knees?
The code is already priced as bilateral, and modifier 50 does not increase payment.
How are the professional and technical services billed?
Use modifier 26 for the interpretation and modifier TC for the equipment and staff portion. Billing without either modifier represents the global service.
What documentation supports reporting this code?
The order and imaging record should show that both knees were imaged in the standing position. The interpretation should describe the findings from the bilateral study.
Can this code be reported for a three-view knee examination?
No. This code describes a bilateral standing AP study; a unilateral three-view knee examination is reported with 73562.
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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