Billing code 73615: Ankle arthrographyMedicare rate & RVUs in Alaska
Reports radiographic supervision and interpretation of ankle arthrography after contrast is placed in the joint to assess intra-articular structures.
Medicare pays $148.42 for 73615 in the office in Alaska (Alaska*). Which amount applies depends on the service address.
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 9 sections
What 73615 covers
billing code 73615 represents the radiographic imaging and interpretation portion of an ankle arthrogram, in which contrast within the joint is visualized to evaluate intra-articular structures. A radiologist commonly supervises the imaging and interprets the resulting images; the study may be performed in an outpatient imaging department or hospital. The code is for the radiologic service, not the contrast injection itself.
Select 73615 for ankle arthrography rather than routine ankle films. The record should identify the ankle, document the arthrographic imaging performed, and include the interpretation. The injection procedure is represented by 27648 when performed. Report modifier 26 for the professional interpretation, TC for the technical service, or neither for the global service. For bilateral studies, each side is paid 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.
73615 in Alaska*
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Alaska* | $148.42 | Unavailable |
How the 73615 rate is calculated
Each of 73615’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 · 73615
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
Work 0.53Practice expense 3.40Malpractice 0.05
All indexes start at 1.000 (the national rate). Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 73615
The CMS indicators that decide how 73615 is paid alongside other services.
CMS payment indicators · 73615
Ankle arthrography
| 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
73615 without 26 · national office
$132.94
Ankle arthrography
73615-26 · Professional component
$28.06
Pays only the interpretation and report.
73615 compared with similar codes
Compare codes
73615 vs 73600 vs 73610 vs 27648 vs 73722: national Medicare rates
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
How to choose
- 73600Ankle X-ray
- 73600 is for limited routine ankle radiographs. Choose 73615 when the ankle is imaged as an arthrogram with contrast in the joint.
- 73610Ankle X-ray
- 73610 describes routine ankle radiographs, not arthrographic imaging. The presence of contrast within the ankle joint and the associated interpretation distinguish 73615.
- 27648Arthrogram injection
- 27648 represents the ankle arthrography injection procedure; 73615 represents the radiographic imaging and interpretation portion.
- 73722Joint MRI
- 73722 is MRI of a lower-extremity joint with contrast. Use 73615 for radiographic ankle arthrography, not the MRI examination.
73615 billing questions
How is 73615 different from a routine ankle x-ray?
73615 is for radiographic imaging and interpretation of contrast within the ankle joint as an arthrogram. Routine ankle radiographs are reported with codes such as 73600 or 73610, depending on the study.
Is the contrast injection included in 73615?
73615 represents the radiologic imaging service. Report 27648 for the ankle arthrography injection procedure when performed.
When should modifier 26 or TC be used?
Use modifier 26 for the professional interpretation and TC for the technical service, including equipment and staff. Without either modifier, the claim represents the global service.
How should bilateral ankle arthrography be reported?
Report the service for each ankle and document the side examined. CMS pays each side separately at 100% when the study is bilateral.
What documentation supports 73615?
Document the ankle studied, the arthrographic imaging performed, and the interpretation. The record should distinguish this contrast study from routine ankle radiographs.
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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