Billing code 73590: Lower-leg X-rayMedicare rate & RVUs
Reports a two-view X-ray examination of the tibia and fibula, commonly obtained to evaluate lower-leg pain, injury, or suspected fracture.
Medicare pays $31.40 for 73590 nationally in the office. Local office rates run $27.49–$42.89.
Medicare rate · 73590
Lower-leg X-ray
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
- Work RVUs
- 0.16
- Total RVUs
- 0.94
- Global days
- XXX
National rate · 2026
$31.40
Office setting, before claim adjustments.
See every locality for 73590 → · 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 73590 covers
This code represents a two-view radiographic examination of the tibia and fibula in the lower leg. It is commonly ordered for pain or trauma, including suspected fractures, deformity, or assessment of bone healing. A radiologic technologist obtains the images in settings such as an imaging center, physician office, or hospital; a radiologist or other qualified physician interprets them.
Select the code when the study images the tibia and fibula and includes two views. The order and report should support the body part, side examined, and imaging performed. The global service includes image acquisition and interpretation. When those portions are billed separately, modifier 26 identifies the professional interpretation and modifier TC identifies the technical service, including equipment and staff. For bilateral examinations, each side is paid separately at 100%; report the sides separately using the applicable laterality conventions.
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 73590 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
$27.49 to $42.89
109 of 109 payment localities
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $27.93 | Unavailable |
| Alaska* | $35.42 | Unavailable |
| Arizona | $30.51 | Unavailable |
| Arkansas | $27.49 | Unavailable |
| Atlanta | $31.95 | Unavailable |
| Austin | $32.80 | Unavailable |
| Bakersfield | $33.67 | Unavailable |
| Baltimore/Surr. Cntys | $33.49 | Unavailable |
| Beaumont | $29.06 | Unavailable |
| Brazoria | $31.06 | Unavailable |
| Chicago | $32.43 | Unavailable |
| Chico | $33.61 | Unavailable |
| Colorado | $32.94 | Unavailable |
| Connecticut | $33.60 | Unavailable |
| Dallas | $31.25 | Unavailable |
| Dc + Md/Va Suburbs | $36.28 | Unavailable |
| Delaware | $31.05 | Unavailable |
| Detroit | $30.97 | Unavailable |
| East St. Louis | $30.04 | Unavailable |
| El Centro | $33.62 | Unavailable |
| Fort Lauderdale | $32.27 | Unavailable |
| Fort Worth | $31.00 | Unavailable |
| Fresno | $33.61 | Unavailable |
| Galveston | $31.15 | Unavailable |
| Hanford-Corcoran | $33.61 | Unavailable |
| Hawaii, Guam | $34.59 | Unavailable |
| Houston | $31.51 | Unavailable |
| Idaho | $29.01 | Unavailable |
| Indiana | $29.20 | Unavailable |
| Iowa | $28.84 | Unavailable |
| Kansas | $28.63 | Unavailable |
| Kentucky | $28.52 | Unavailable |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim (Los Angeles/Orange Cnty) | $36.04 | Unavailable |
| Madera | $33.61 | Unavailable |
| Manhattan | $36.24 | Unavailable |
| Merced | $33.61 | Unavailable |
| Metropolitan Boston | $36.47 | Unavailable |
| Metropolitan Kansas City | $29.83 | Unavailable |
| Metropolitan Philadelphia | $32.66 | Unavailable |
| Metropolitan St. Louis | $30.18 | Unavailable |
| Miami | $33.46 | Unavailable |
| Minnesota | $31.66 | Unavailable |
| Mississippi | $27.69 | Unavailable |
| Modesto | $33.61 | Unavailable |
| Montana** | $31.40 | Unavailable |
| Napa | $39.48 | Unavailable |
| Nebraska | $29.03 | Unavailable |
| Nevada** | $31.31 | Unavailable |
| New Hampshire | $32.35 | Unavailable |
| New Mexico | $29.42 | Unavailable |
| New Orleans | $29.99 | Unavailable |
| North Carolina | $29.45 | Unavailable |
| North Dakota** | $31.00 | Unavailable |
| Northern Nj | $35.84 | Unavailable |
| Nyc Suburbs/Long Island | $37.11 | Unavailable |
| Ohio | $29.19 | Unavailable |
| Oklahoma | $28.53 | Unavailable |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura | $35.91 | Unavailable |
| Portland | $34.13 | Unavailable |
| Poughkpsie/N Nyc Suburbs | $34.19 | Unavailable |
| Puerto Rico | $31.67 | Unavailable |
| Queens | $36.65 | Unavailable |
| Redding | $33.61 | Unavailable |
| Rest Of California | $33.61 | Unavailable |
| Rest Of Florida | $30.62 | Unavailable |
| Rest Of Georgia | $28.78 | Unavailable |
| Rest Of Illinois | $29.56 | Unavailable |
| Rest Of Louisiana | $28.45 | Unavailable |
| Rest Of Maine | $29.11 | Unavailable |
| Rest Of Maryland | $31.70 | Unavailable |
| Rest Of Massachusetts | $32.69 | Unavailable |
| Rest Of Michigan | $29.27 | Unavailable |
| Rest Of Missouri | $27.88 | Unavailable |
| Rest Of New Jersey | $34.01 | Unavailable |
| Rest Of New York | $29.93 | Unavailable |
| Rest Of Oregon | $31.10 | Unavailable |
| Rest Of Pennsylvania | $29.28 | Unavailable |
| Rest Of Texas | $30.04 | Unavailable |
| Rest Of Washington | $32.65 | Unavailable |
| Rhode Island | $32.26 | Unavailable |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario | $33.83 | Unavailable |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom | $35.42 | Unavailable |
| Salinas | $35.29 | Unavailable |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $36.23 | Unavailable |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley (Marin Cnty) | $41.95 | Unavailable |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley (San Francisco/San Mateo/Alameda/Contra Costa Cnty) | $41.93 | Unavailable |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara (San Benito Cnty) | $42.89 | Unavailable |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara (Santa Clara Cnty) | $42.80 | Unavailable |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles | $34.71 | Unavailable |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville | $36.66 | Unavailable |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara | $35.45 | Unavailable |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma | $37.03 | Unavailable |
| Seattle (King Cnty) | $37.30 | Unavailable |
| South Carolina | $29.37 | Unavailable |
| South Dakota** | $30.95 | Unavailable |
| Southern Maine | $30.92 | Unavailable |
| Stockton | $33.61 | Unavailable |
| Suburban Chicago | $32.64 | Unavailable |
| Tennessee | $28.78 | Unavailable |
| Utah | $29.81 | Unavailable |
| Vallejo | $39.44 | Unavailable |
| Vermont | $30.81 | Unavailable |
| Virgin Islands | $31.67 | Unavailable |
| Virginia | $30.77 | Unavailable |
| Visalia | $33.61 | Unavailable |
| West Virginia | $28.36 | Unavailable |
| Wisconsin | $29.87 | Unavailable |
| Wyoming** | $31.22 | Unavailable |
| Yuba City | $33.61 | Unavailable |
73590 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.
$27.49
$38.25
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 | $35.42 | 1 |
| AL | $27.93 | 1 |
| AR | $27.49 | 1 |
| AZ | $30.51 | 1 |
| CA | $33.61–$42.89 | 29 |
| CO | $32.94 | 1 |
| CT | $33.60 | 1 |
| DC | $36.28 | 1 |
| DE | $31.05 | 1 |
| FL | $30.62–$33.46 | 3 |
| GA | $28.78–$31.95 | 2 |
| GU | $34.59 | 1 |
| HI | $34.59 | 1 |
| IA | $28.84 | 1 |
| ID | $29.01 | 1 |
| IL | $29.56–$32.64 | 4 |
| IN | $29.20 | 1 |
| KS | $28.63 | 1 |
| KY | $28.52 | 1 |
| LA | $28.45–$29.99 | 2 |
| MA | $32.69–$36.47 | 2 |
| MD | $31.70–$36.28 | 3 |
| ME | $29.11–$30.92 | 2 |
| MI | $29.27–$30.97 | 2 |
| MN | $31.66 | 1 |
| MO | $27.88–$30.18 | 3 |
| MS | $27.69 | 1 |
| MT | $31.40 | 1 |
| NC | $29.45 | 1 |
| ND | $31.00 | 1 |
| NE | $29.03 | 1 |
| NH | $32.35 | 1 |
| NJ | $34.01–$35.84 | 2 |
| NM | $29.42 | 1 |
| NV | $31.31 | 1 |
| NY | $29.93–$37.11 | 5 |
| OH | $29.19 | 1 |
| OK | $28.53 | 1 |
| OR | $31.10–$34.13 | 2 |
| PA | $29.28–$32.66 | 2 |
| PR | $31.67 | 1 |
| RI | $32.26 | 1 |
| SC | $29.37 | 1 |
| SD | $30.95 | 1 |
| TN | $28.78 | 1 |
| TX | $29.06–$32.80 | 8 |
| UT | $29.81 | 1 |
| VA | $30.77–$36.28 | 2 |
| VI | $31.67 | 1 |
| VT | $30.81 | 1 |
| WA | $32.65–$37.30 | 2 |
| WI | $29.87 | 1 |
| WV | $28.36 | 1 |
| WY | $31.22 | 1 |
How the 73590 rate is calculated
Each of 73590’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 · 73590
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
Work 0.16Practice expense 0.76Malpractice 0.02
All indexes start at 1.000 (the national rate). Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 73590
The CMS indicators that decide how 73590 is paid alongside other services.
CMS payment indicators · 73590
Lower-leg 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
73590 without 26 · national office
$31.40
Lower-leg X-ray
73590-26 · Professional component
$7.68
Pays only the interpretation and report.
73590 compared with similar codes
Compare codes
73590 vs 73592 vs 73551 vs 73562: national Medicare rates
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
How to choose
- 73592Lower-extremity X-ray
- This code is for a two-view tibia and fibula examination; 73592 is the lower-leg radiography code designated for an infant.
- 73551Femur X-ray
- 73551 describes a one-view femur examination. Choose this code when the images instead cover the tibia and fibula.
- 73562Knee X-ray
- 73562 is for a three-view knee examination. This code is for a two-view tibia and fibula study.
73590 billing questions
How many views are represented by this code?
This code represents a two-view examination of the tibia and fibula. Use the code matching the actual study and its documented views.
When should a femur X-ray be reported instead?
Use a femur radiography code when the imaged anatomy is the femur rather than the tibia and fibula. Codes 73551 and 73552 distinguish femur studies by view count.
Can the interpretation and image acquisition be billed separately?
Yes. Modifier 26 identifies the professional interpretation, and modifier TC identifies the technical service. Billing without either modifier represents the global service.
How is a bilateral examination reported?
Each side is paid separately at 100% when both legs are examined. Report each side separately using the applicable laterality conventions.
Does a knee X-ray replace this lower-leg study?
No. Use a knee radiography code when the examination is of the knee, selecting the code that matches its views. This code describes imaging of the tibia and fibula.
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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