Billing code 76770: Retroperitoneal ultrasoundMedicare rate & RVUs in Illinois
Complete retroperitoneal ultrasound surveys specified vessels and kidneys, or both kidneys and bladder for urinary indications, when required structures are evaluated and documented.
Medicare pays $100.15–$109.85 for 76770 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 76770 covers
Real-time ultrasound with saved images surveys the kidneys, abdominal aorta, origins of the common iliac arteries, and inferior vena cava. For suspected urinary tract disease, examination of both kidneys and the urinary bladder can also constitute a complete study. Common indications include hematuria, flank pain, hydronephrosis, acute kidney injury, and chronic kidney disease. A sonographer typically acquires images in a hospital imaging department, freestanding center, or physician office; a radiologist or other qualified physician interprets them.
Choose 76770 when the report addresses every structure required for the applicable complete examination. If bowel gas or body habitus prevents visualization, document the attempt and reason; an intentionally focused exam is reported with 76775. Retain images and record findings, including abnormalities. CMS recognizes modifier TC for equipment and staff and modifier 26 for interpretation; a provider furnishing both components reports the global service without either modifier. When multiple eligible diagnostic imaging services are furnished to the same patient on the same day, CMS's diagnostic imaging multiple procedure reduction can affect both professional and technical components.
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 76770 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
$100.15 to $109.85
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago | $108.95 | Unavailable |
| East St. Louis | $101.47 | Unavailable |
| Rest Of Illinois | $100.15 | Unavailable |
| Suburban Chicago | $109.85 | Unavailable |
How the 76770 rate is calculated
Each of 76770’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 · 76770
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
Work 0.72Practice expense 2.41Malpractice 0.05
All indexes start at 1.000 (the national rate). Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 76770
The CMS indicators that decide how 76770 is paid alongside other services.
CMS payment indicators · 76770
Retroperitoneal ultrasound
| 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) | 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
76770 without 26 · national office
$106.21
Retroperitoneal ultrasound
76770-26 · Professional component
$34.07
Pays only the interpretation and report.
76770 compared with similar codes
Compare codes
76770 vs 76775 vs 76700 vs 76706 vs 76776: national Medicare rates
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
How to choose
- 76775Retroperitoneal ultrasound
- 76770 requires the complete retroperitoneal survey or, for urinary indications, evaluation of both kidneys and bladder. 76775 covers an intentionally limited study, such as one kidney or a targeted recheck.
- 76700Abdominal ultrasound
- 76700 surveys the abdomen, including the liver, gallbladder, pancreas, spleen, and kidneys. 76770 covers the complete retroperitoneal survey or the qualifying kidney-and-bladder examination for urinary disease.
- 76706Ultrasound
- 76706 is a Medicare AAA screening ultrasound for eligible asymptomatic patients. A diagnostic study targeting only the aorta is a limited retroperitoneal examination (76775); select 76770 only for a complete examination.
- 76776Transplant ultrasound
- Use 76776 for ultrasound examination of a transplanted kidney, including duplex Doppler when performed. Use 76770 for a qualifying complete examination of native kidneys or other retroperitoneal structures.
76770 billing questions
When does a renal ultrasound qualify as complete instead of limited?
For suspected urinary tract disease, evaluation of both kidneys and the urinary bladder supports the complete study. A study intentionally limited to one kidney or a targeted recheck is reported with 76775.
Which modifier does a radiologist reading hospital studies use?
The radiologist reports modifier 26 for the interpretation; the hospital reports its technical service under facility billing rules. A practice furnishing both components reports the global service without either component modifier.
Can 76770 be billed with a complete abdominal ultrasound on the same day?
Code 76700 already includes the kidneys. Report both only when separate, medically necessary complete abdominal and retroperitoneal examinations are performed and documented with distinct images and findings; do not bill the same overlapping exam twice.
Is a bladder scan for post-void residual the same as including the bladder here?
No. A nonimaging bladder volume measurement is reported with 51798. The bladder portion of a complete renal exam consists of diagnostic images with documented findings.
What if a structure cannot be visualized because of bowel gas or body habitus?
Document the attempt and why the structure was not seen. An exam can still support the complete code when all required structures were addressed, rather than intentionally omitted.
How is a transplant kidney ultrasound reported?
Use 76776 for ultrasound examination of a transplanted kidney; that code includes duplex Doppler when performed.
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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