Billing code 77073: Bone length studyMedicare rate & RVUs in Alaska
Reports radiographic measurement of lower-extremity bone lengths, commonly used to evaluate limb-length differences and guide orthopedic assessment or treatment.
Medicare pays $52.56 for 77073 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 77073 covers
This study uses radiographs to compare lower-extremity bone lengths, often when a patient has a suspected limb-length difference or is being assessed for an orthopedic growth or alignment concern. It is commonly performed in radiology departments and imaging centers, with a radiologic technologist acquiring the images and a radiologist interpreting them. Orthopedic clinicians may use the findings in evaluating children with unequal limb growth and patients being considered for corrective treatment.
Report 77073 for the bone-length examination, rather than a routine radiograph of one bone or joint. The order and report should support the limb-length question and identify the structures assessed and the interpretation. CMS recognizes professional and technical components: report modifier 26 for the interpretation, modifier TC for the equipment and staff, or no modifier when billing the global service. The component may be billed separately when the service is split between practitioners or entities.
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.
77073 in Alaska*
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Alaska* | $52.56 | Unavailable |
How the 77073 rate is calculated
Each of 77073’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 · 77073
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
Work 0.25Practice expense 1.11Malpractice 0.03
All indexes start at 1.000 (the national rate). Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 77073
The CMS indicators that decide how 77073 is paid alongside other services.
CMS payment indicators · 77073
Bone length study
| 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) | 0 | The 150% bilateral adjustment doesn’t apply. |
| 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
77073 without 26 · national office
$46.43
Bone length study
77073-26 · Professional component
$13.03
Pays only the interpretation and report.
77073 compared with similar codes
Compare codes
77073 vs 77072 vs 77074 vs 73590: national Medicare rates
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How to choose
- 77072Bone age
- 77072 assesses skeletal maturity using bone age; 77073 evaluates lower-extremity bone lengths.
- 77074Skeletal survey
- 77074 is a limited osseous survey for a broader skeletal imaging question, rather than a focused lower-extremity length assessment.
- 73590Lower-leg X-ray
- 73590 is a dedicated tibia and fibula radiographic examination. Use 77073 for the limb-length study, not simply because a lower-leg bone is imaged.
77073 billing questions
When should 77073 be chosen instead of a bone-age study?
Use 77073 when the imaging question is lower-extremity bone length or limb-length difference. A bone-age study, such as 77072, evaluates skeletal maturity.
How are the professional and technical services reported?
Use modifier 26 for the professional interpretation and modifier TC for the technical service. Without either modifier, the claim represents the global service.
Can dedicated femur or tibia and fibula films also be reported?
They may be separately reported when the clinician orders distinct diagnostic views for a separate clinical question. The documentation should support that additional examination, rather than simply restating the bone-length assessment.
What documentation supports 77073?
The order and report should identify the lower-extremity length question and document the structures evaluated and the radiologist’s findings.
Is 77073 the same as a skeletal survey?
No. It assesses lower-extremity bone lengths; a skeletal survey examines bones for a broader or different diagnostic purpose.
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
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