Billing code 73600: Ankle X-rayMedicare rate & RVUs in Illinois
A two-view ankle radiograph evaluates the ankle after injury or for pain, swelling, or suspected bone abnormality when a limited study is performed.
Medicare pays $30.48–$33.66 for 73600 in the office in Illinois, from Rest Of Illinois to Suburban Chicago. 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 73600 covers
This code represents a two-view X-ray examination of the ankle, commonly obtained for an ankle sprain or injury, pain, swelling, or suspected fracture. Images are acquired by radiology staff in an imaging department, hospital, urgent care center, or equipped office; a radiologist or other qualified physician interprets the study. The examination is limited to the ankle rather than a dedicated foot or heel study.
Choose this code when the documented ankle examination consists of two views; use the view count and body region actually imaged to distinguish it from a three-or-more-view ankle study. The record should support the ankle side, views obtained, clinical reason, and interpretation. Medicare allows the global service to be billed without a component modifier, or the interpretation with modifier 26 and the equipment and staff portion with modifier TC. For bilateral examinations, 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.
Where 73600 pays more and less in Illinois
The same RVUs, adjusted for each area’s costs. Open a locality for its calculation, history and nearby areas.
4 payment localities
$30.48 to $33.66
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago | $33.43 | Unavailable |
| East St. Louis | $30.97 | Unavailable |
| Rest Of Illinois | $30.48 | Unavailable |
| Suburban Chicago | $33.66 | Unavailable |
How the 73600 rate is calculated
Each of 73600’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 · 73600
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
Work 0.16Practice expense 0.79Malpractice 0.02
All indexes start at 1.000 (the national rate). Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 73600
The CMS indicators that decide how 73600 is paid alongside other services.
CMS payment indicators · 73600
Ankle X-ray
| 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
73600 without 26 · national office
$32.40
Ankle X-ray
73600-26 · Professional component
$8.02
Pays only the interpretation and report.
73600 compared with similar codes
Compare codes
73600 vs 73610 vs 73620 vs 73630: national Medicare rates
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
How to choose
- 73610Ankle X-ray
- Use 73610 for an ankle examination with three or more views; this code is for two views.
- 73620Foot X-ray
- 73620 examines the foot, not the ankle, and covers a two-view foot study.
- 73630Foot X-ray
- 73630 is for a three-or-more-view foot examination; this code is for a two-view ankle examination.
73600 billing questions
How does this differ from 73610?
73600 is for a two-view ankle examination. Use 73610 when three or more ankle views are obtained and documented.
Can the interpretation and imaging be billed separately?
Yes. Modifier 26 identifies the professional interpretation, and modifier TC identifies the technical portion. Without either modifier, the claim represents the global service.
How is a bilateral ankle examination reported?
Report the examination for each side. CMS pays each side separately at 100%; use the applicable laterality identification on the claim.
Can an ankle and foot X-ray be reported together?
They may both be reported when distinct ankle and foot examinations are performed and documented. Use the foot code that matches its own view count rather than treating foot images as ankle views.
What documentation supports 73600?
Document the clinical reason, ankle side, two views obtained, and the physician's interpretation when reporting the professional service.
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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