$37.24–$41.55
Both codes examine the skull radiographically; choose 70260 for at least four views and 70250 for one to three.
On this page
CMS RVU26D · Effective 2026-10-01
70260 Skull X-ray Medicare reimbursement rates in Massachusetts
Reports a complete skull radiographic examination with at least four views, such as imaging ordered to assess cranial bone injury or abnormality. Compare 70260 office and facility rates across CMS payment localities in Massachusetts.
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 70260 in Massachusetts?
Massachusetts has 2 payment localities in this comparison. Use the service location to choose the applicable amount. These are the supported base rates for the 2 payment areas shown below, using the same CMS release.
Office / nonfacility
$45.57–$50.66
2 of 2 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.
Radiology
About 70260: Complete skull radiograph, four or more views
Reports a complete skull radiographic examination with at least four views, such as imaging ordered to assess cranial bone injury or abnormality.
This service is a multi-view radiographic examination of the skull, with at least four views obtained. A radiologic technologist typically acquires the images in an imaging department, hospital, or office-based radiology setting; a qualified physician interprets them and provides a report. Skull films may be ordered when the clinical question concerns the cranial bones, such as suspected skull fracture or a bone abnormality. The examination is distinct from imaging directed at the orbits, sinuses, or sella.
Select 70260 when the documented examination includes at least four skull views; a limited examination with one to three views is reported with 70250. The order, image record, and interpretation should support the skull as the imaged anatomy and the views performed. CMS recognizes separately priced professional and technical components: report modifier 26 for the interpretation, TC for the equipment and staff, or neither modifier when billing the global service. The physician’s interpretation and the image-acquisition service may be billed by different entities.
CMS billing rules for 70260
- 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 RVU0.27 · 21%
- Practice expense (office) RVU1.02 · 78%
- Malpractice RVU0.02 · 2%
8.8K
Medicare services in 2024 · #1543 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.
70260 compared with similar codes
Office rates for Massachusetts, from the same CMS release.
$48.73–$54.25
70200 is directed at the orbits. Use 70260 when the examination is of the skull rather than the eye sockets.
$110.66–$122.37
70450 is a head CT without contrast, not a skull radiograph. The selected modality and documented examination determine which code applies.
Compare 70260 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.
2 of 2 payment localities
Metropolitan Boston →
Office / nonfacility
$50.66
Facility
Unavailable
Rest Of Massachusetts →
Office / nonfacility
$45.57
Facility
Unavailable
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70260 billing questions
How is 70260 distinguished from 70250?
70260 is for a complete skull examination with at least four views. Use 70250 for a skull examination with one to three views.
Which modifier reports the interpretation?
Append modifier 26 when billing only the physician’s professional interpretation. The interpretation should be supported by a report.
When is modifier TC used?
Append TC when billing only the technical service, including image acquisition, equipment, and staff. Bill without a component modifier when billing the global service.
What documentation supports reporting 70260?
The record should identify the skull as the imaged anatomy and document that at least four views were obtained. The interpreting physician’s report should address the examination.
Can 70260 be used for orbital or sinus films?
No. Select the radiographic code for the anatomy actually examined; 70200 describes orbital imaging, while sinus radiographs use their own codes.
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.
7,73070250,26,X-ray exam of skull,A,,0.18,0.07,,0.07,,0.01,0.26,0.26,1,XXX,0.00,0.00,0.00,0,0,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
7,73170250,TC,X-ray exam of skull,A,,0.00,0.80,,0.80,NA,0.01,0.81,0.81,1,XXX,0.00,0.00,0.00,0,0,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,01,0,99,3.16,3.16,0.04
7,7327025F,,Pt infosys alarm 4 nxt mammo,I,,0.00,0.00,,0.00,,0.00,0.00,0.00,9,XXX,0.00,0.00,0.00,9,9,9,9,9,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
7,73370260,,X-ray exam of skull,A,,0.27,1.02,,1.02,NA,0.02,1.31,1.31,1,XXX,0.00,0.00,0.00,0,0,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,3.27,3.27,0.05
7,73470260,26,X-ray exam of skull,A,,0.27,0.11,,0.11,,0.01,0.39,0.39,1,XXX,0.00,0.00,0.00,0,0,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
7,73570260,TC,X-ray exam of skull,A,,0.00,0.91,,0.91,NA,0.01,0.92,0.92,1,XXX,0.00,0.00,0.00,0,0,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,01,0,99,3.16,3.16,0.04
7,73670300,,X-ray exam of teeth,A,,0.10,0.31,,0.31,NA,0.02,0.43,0.43,1,XXX,0.00,0.00,0.00,0,0,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,2.61,2.61,0.11