Billing code 73720: MRIMedicare rate & RVUs in Delaware
MRI of a non-joint lower-extremity region before and after contrast, reported for evaluation of soft-tissue masses, suspected infection, or other abnormalities.
Medicare pays $331.74 for 73720 in the office in Delaware (Delaware). 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 73720 covers
This service covers MRI of a lower-extremity area outside a joint, with images acquired before and after intravenous contrast. A radiologist interprets the study; it is commonly performed in a hospital imaging department or freestanding imaging center to evaluate concerns such as a soft-tissue mass, suspected infection, or another abnormality requiring characterization. The imaged region may include the thigh or calf when the examination is not focused on a joint.
Select this code when the documented protocol includes both precontrast and postcontrast imaging of the non-joint lower extremity. The order and report should identify the side and anatomic region, the clinical reason, and the contrast-enhanced sequences; a joint-centered examination belongs in the joint MRI code family. Bill globally when one entity furnishes both portions, or use modifier 26 for interpretation or TC for equipment and technical staff when those portions are billed separately. CMS diagnostic imaging multiple-procedure reductions apply to both components. For bilateral imaging, CMS pays each side 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.
73720 in Delaware
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Delaware | $331.74 | Unavailable |
How the 73720 rate is calculated
Each of 73720’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 · 73720
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
Work 2.10Practice expense 7.78Malpractice 0.15
All indexes start at 1.000 (the national rate). Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 73720
The CMS indicators that decide how 73720 is paid alongside other services.
CMS payment indicators · 73720
MRI
| Rule | CMS value | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Global period | XXX | The global surgery concept doesn’t apply. |
| Multiple procedures | 4 | Diagnostic imaging reduction applies to the technical component (and professional component) of additional services. |
| 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
73720 without 26 · national office
$335.01
MRI
73720-26 · Professional component
$99.20
Pays only the interpretation and report.
73720 compared with similar codes
Compare codes
73720 vs 73718 vs 73719 vs 73723: national Medicare rates
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
How to choose
- 73718MRI
- 73718 is for a non-joint lower-extremity MRI without contrast. Choose 73720 when the exam includes both precontrast and postcontrast imaging.
- 73719Extremity MRI
- 73719 represents a non-joint lower-extremity MRI with contrast only. Choose 73720 when images are obtained both before and after contrast.
- 73723Joint MRI
- 73723 is for a joint-focused lower-extremity MRI with and without contrast. Choose 73720 when the imaged region is outside the joint.
73720 billing questions
When is this code preferable to a joint MRI code?
Use it for an examination of a lower-extremity region outside a joint, such as the thigh or calf. A study focused on a joint is reported from the joint MRI code family.
How does this differ from MRI without contrast or with contrast only?
This code represents imaging both before and after contrast. Use the corresponding single-protocol code when the study is performed only without contrast or only with contrast.
Can the professional and technical portions 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 does CMS handle multiple imaging procedures?
CMS diagnostic imaging multiple-procedure reductions apply to both the professional and technical components when applicable.
What supports reporting this code?
Documentation should establish the non-joint site and side, the clinical reason for imaging, and that the MRI included both precontrast and postcontrast sequences.
How is bilateral imaging paid?
CMS pays each side separately at 100% when the study is performed bilaterally.
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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