$142.40–$183.41
Choose 74420 when contrast is introduced retrograde through a ureteral catheter; 74400 describes urography using intravenous contrast.
On this page
CMS RVU26D · Effective 2026-10-01
74420 Retrograde urography Medicare reimbursement rates in California
Reports imaging and interpretation of the upper urinary tract after contrast is introduced retrograde, such as during cystoscopic evaluation of the ureters. Compare 74420 office and facility rates across CMS payment localities in California.
Amounts below use the non-QP conversion factor for participating physicians. These are base physician payments before claim-level adjustments, not patient costs or total hospital charges.
What does Medicare pay for 74420 in California?
California has 29 payment localities in this comparison. Use the service location to choose the applicable amount. These are the supported base rates for the 29 payment areas shown below, using the same CMS release.
Office / nonfacility
$87.05–$110.48
29 of 29 localities have a supported rate.
Lowest: Chico
Highest: San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara (San Benito Cnty)
A spread of $23.43 per service.
Facility setting
No supported rate
These are locality ranges, not averages or address-specific quotes. A facility-setting amount covers the physician service; it does not include a hospital’s separate bill. Choose a locality below to inspect its calculation, compare other payment areas, or price a percentage of Medicare.
Where 74420 pays more and less in California
29 payment localities
$87.05 to $110.48
Radiology
About 74420: Retrograde urinary tract imaging interpretation
Reports imaging and interpretation of the upper urinary tract after contrast is introduced retrograde, such as during cystoscopic evaluation of the ureters.
Retrograde urography uses radiographic imaging, commonly fluoroscopy, to show the ureters and renal collecting system after contrast is introduced through a ureteral catheter. A urologist may perform the study during cystoscopy, or a radiologist may provide imaging supervision and interpretation. A KUB image may be part of the examination, but is not required for this code.
Report this service for the radiologic study and its interpretation, not for placing the ureteral catheter. The record should support the retrograde contrast study and include the images and an interpretation of the findings. When one billing entity provides the complete service, report the global service without a component modifier. Use modifier 26 for the professional interpretation or modifier TC for the technical service, including equipment and staff, when those portions are billed separately.
CMS billing rules for 74420
- Professional and technical components
- Diagnostic test with a professional component (modifier 26, interpretation) and a technical component (modifier TC, equipment and staff); billing without a modifier is the global service.
Where the value comes from
- Work RVU0.51 · 21%
- Practice expense (office) RVU1.89 · 78%
- Malpractice RVU0.03 · 1%
158.5K
Medicare services in 2024 · #437 by national volume
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.
74420 compared with similar codes
Office rates for California, from the same CMS release.
$144.73–$186.38
74425 is for an antegrade study, such as contrast introduced through percutaneous access. This code is for retrograde contrast introduction through a ureteral catheter.
$44.38–$55.86
74430 centers on bladder imaging. Use this code for imaging the ureters and renal collecting system during a retrograde study.
Compare 74420 by payment locality
Find the payment area for your service address, then open its rate page for calculation inputs, release history and the percentage-of-Medicare tool. A city may cross payment-area boundaries; the ZIP lookup above helps resolve the location.
29 of 29 payment localities
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Bakersfield | Office $87.16 | Facility Unavailable |
| Chico | Office $87.05 | Facility Unavailable |
| El Centro | Office $87.05 | Facility Unavailable |
| Fresno | Office $87.05 | Facility Unavailable |
| Hanford-Corcoran | Office $87.05 | Facility Unavailable |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim (Los Angeles/Orange Cnty) | Office $93.08 | Facility Unavailable |
| Madera | Office $87.05 | Facility Unavailable |
| Merced | Office $87.05 | Facility Unavailable |
| Modesto | Office $87.05 | Facility Unavailable |
| Napa | Office $101.82 | Facility Unavailable |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura | Office $92.75 | Facility Unavailable |
| Redding | Office $87.05 | Facility Unavailable |
| Rest Of California | Office $87.05 | Facility Unavailable |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario | Office $87.38 | Facility Unavailable |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom | Office $91.60 | Facility Unavailable |
| Salinas | Office $91.26 | Facility Unavailable |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | Office $93.59 | Facility Unavailable |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley (Marin Cnty) | Office $108.12 | Facility Unavailable |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley (San Francisco/San Mateo/Alameda/Contra Costa Cnty) | Office $108.09 | Facility Unavailable |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara (San Benito Cnty) | Office $110.48 | Facility Unavailable |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara (Santa Clara Cnty) | Office $110.34 | Facility Unavailable |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles | Office $89.76 | Facility Unavailable |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville | Office $94.63 | Facility Unavailable |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara | Office $91.66 | Facility Unavailable |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma | Office $95.60 | Facility Unavailable |
| Stockton | Office $87.05 | Facility Unavailable |
| Vallejo | Office $101.77 | Facility Unavailable |
| Visalia | Office $87.05 | Facility Unavailable |
| Yuba City | Office $87.05 | Facility Unavailable |
Need rates for a whole code list?
Fee-sheet and API access are in early access. Tell us which codes and locations your team needs.
74420 billing questions
How is this different from intravenous urography?
This code describes imaging after contrast is introduced retrograde through a ureteral catheter. Intravenous urography uses contrast administered into a vein.
Can it be reported with cystoscopic ureteral catheterization?
Yes. The radiologic imaging and interpretation may be reported with the catheterization service, such as CPT 52005, when both services are performed and documented.
When should modifier 26 or TC be used?
Use modifier 26 for the professional interpretation and modifier TC for the technical service. Report without either modifier when billing the global service.
Does a KUB image have to be obtained?
No. A KUB image may be included, but the retrograde study can be reported without one.
What documentation supports the imaging service?
The record should identify the retrograde contrast study and include the images and an interpretation describing the urinary tract findings.
Where these rates come from
FeeBase calculates base physician payments from CMS work, practice-expense, and malpractice RVUs, adjusted by each locality’s geographic indices and the applicable conversion factor. Unavailable or separately priced services are labeled rather than assigned a made-up amount.
Source: RVU26D. Effective 2026-10-01 through the day before 2027-01-01.
8,42374415,,Urography nfs drip&/bls w/nf,A,,0.48,4.01,,4.01,NA,0.05,4.54,4.54,1,XXX,0.00,0.00,0.00,0,0,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,5.51,5.51,0.06
8,42474415,26,Urography nfs drip&/bls w/nf,A,,0.48,0.17,,0.17,,0.03,0.68,0.68,1,XXX,0.00,0.00,0.00,0,0,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
8,42574415,TC,Urography nfs drip&/bls w/nf,A,,0.00,3.84,,3.84,NA,0.02,3.86,3.86,1,XXX,0.00,0.00,0.00,0,0,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,02,0,99,5.34,5.34,0.03
8,42674420,,Urography rtrgr +-kub,A,,0.51,1.89,,1.89,NA,0.03,2.43,2.43,1,XXX,0.00,0.00,0.00,0,0,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,10.82,10.82,0.08
8,42774420,26,Urography rtrgr +-kub,A,,0.51,0.21,,0.21,,0.02,0.74,0.74,1,XXX,0.00,0.00,0.00,0,0,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
8,42874420,TC,Urography rtrgr +-kub,A,,0.00,1.68,,1.68,NA,0.01,1.69,1.69,1,XXX,0.00,0.00,0.00,0,0,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,03,0,99,10.61,10.61,0.06
8,42974425,,Urography antegrade rs&i,A,,0.50,3.47,,3.47,NA,0.04,4.01,4.01,1,XXX,0.00,0.00,0.00,0,0,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,10.82,10.82,0.06