$22.55–$24.75
72020 is for a one-view spine radiograph. Report 72070 when two views of the thoracic spine are obtained.
On this page
CMS RVU26D · Effective 2026-10-01
72070 Thoracic spine X-ray Medicare reimbursement rates in Illinois
Reports a two-view X-ray examination of the thoracic spine, commonly obtained to assess pain, injury, vertebral alignment, or suspected fracture. Compare 72070 office and facility rates across CMS payment localities in Illinois.
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 72070 in Illinois?
Illinois has 4 payment localities in this comparison. Use the service location to choose the applicable amount. These are the supported base rates for the 4 payment areas shown below, using the same CMS release.
Office / nonfacility
$31.21–$34.32
4 of 4 localities have a supported rate.
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 72070 pays more and less in Illinois
4 payment localities
$31.21 to $34.32
Diagnostic radiology
About 72070: Thoracic spine radiograph, two views
Reports a two-view X-ray examination of the thoracic spine, commonly obtained to assess pain, injury, vertebral alignment, or suspected fracture.
This service is a plain-film examination of the thoracic vertebrae using two radiographic views, typically an anteroposterior and a lateral projection. It is commonly ordered for thoracic back pain, suspected vertebral compression fracture, trauma, or assessment of spinal alignment. A radiologic technologist acquires the images; a radiologist or other qualified physician interprets them. The study may be performed in a hospital, imaging center, or physician office with radiography equipment.
Report 72070 when the documented examination covers the thoracic spine and includes two views. Select a different code when the actual study includes a different number of views or covers a different spinal region. The imaging order and report should support the body region examined, views obtained, and diagnostic interpretation. CMS recognizes professional and technical components: modifier 26 identifies the interpretation, modifier TC identifies the equipment and staff portion, and an unmodified claim represents the global service.
CMS billing rules for 72070
- 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 RVU0.20 · 20%
- Practice expense (office) RVU0.77 · 78%
- Malpractice RVU0.02 · 2%
296.3K
Medicare services in 2024 · #314 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.
72070 compared with similar codes
Office rates for Illinois, from the same CMS release.
$36.45–$40.14
72072 represents three thoracic spine views; 72070 represents two.
$41.39–$45.62
72074 is for four or more thoracic spine views, rather than the two-view study represented by 72070.
$33.04–$36.38
72080 applies to imaging of the thoracolumbar region, while 72070 is for the thoracic spine examination.
Compare 72070 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.
4 of 4 payment localities
Chicago →
Office / nonfacility
$34.11
Facility
Unavailable
East St. Louis →
Office / nonfacility
$31.69
Facility
Unavailable
Rest Of Illinois →
Office / nonfacility
$31.21
Facility
Unavailable
Suburban Chicago →
Office / nonfacility
$34.32
Facility
Unavailable
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72070 billing questions
How is 72070 distinguished from 72072?
Use 72070 for a two-view thoracic spine examination and 72072 when three views are obtained. Base selection on the views documented for the completed study.
When should 72074 be used instead?
72074 describes a thoracic spine study with four or more views. It is not selected just because additional detail is discussed in the interpretation; the performed views must support it.
How are the professional and technical portions billed?
Report modifier 26 for the physician's interpretation and modifier TC for the equipment and staff portion when those portions are billed separately. An unmodified claim represents the global service.
What documentation supports reporting two views?
The imaging record should identify the thoracic spine examination and document the two views acquired. The report should support the interpretation of that study.
Is a one-view thoracic study reported with 72070?
No. Code 72020 is the one-view spine radiograph code; 72070 is for two thoracic spine views.
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.
7,94672052,,X-ray exam neck spine 6/>vws,A,,0.29,1.56,,1.56,NA,0.03,1.88,1.88,1,XXX,0.00,0.00,0.00,0,0,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,3.30,3.30,0.04
7,94772052,26,X-ray exam neck spine 6/>vws,A,,0.29,0.12,,0.12,,0.02,0.43,0.43,1,XXX,0.00,0.00,0.00,0,0,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
7,94872052,TC,X-ray exam neck spine 6/>vws,A,,0.00,1.44,,1.44,NA,0.01,1.45,1.45,1,XXX,0.00,0.00,0.00,0,0,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,01,0,99,3.18,3.18,0.02
7,94972070,,X-ray exam thorac spine 2vws,A,,0.20,0.77,,0.77,NA,0.02,0.99,0.99,1,XXX,0.00,0.00,0.00,0,0,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,3.23,3.23,0.06
7,95072070,26,X-ray exam thorac spine 2vws,A,,0.20,0.08,,0.08,,0.01,0.29,0.29,1,XXX,0.00,0.00,0.00,0,0,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
7,95172070,TC,X-ray exam thorac spine 2vws,A,,0.00,0.69,,0.69,NA,0.01,0.70,0.70,1,XXX,0.00,0.00,0.00,0,0,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,01,0,99,3.15,3.15,0.05
7,95272072,,X-ray exam thorac spine 3vws,A,,0.22,0.92,,0.92,NA,0.02,1.16,1.16,1,XXX,0.00,0.00,0.00,0,0,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,3.24,3.24,0.05