Billing code 71047: Chest X-rayMedicare rate & RVUs in Massachusetts
Report 71047 for a diagnostic chest radiograph consisting of three views, such as an expanded evaluation of pulmonary or thoracic symptoms.
Medicare pays $42.77–$47.52 for 71047 in the office in Massachusetts, from Rest Of Massachusetts to Metropolitan Boston. 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 71047 covers
This service covers a chest X-ray with three views, providing projections of the chest for evaluation of the lungs, heart, and other thoracic structures. It may be ordered for symptoms such as cough or shortness of breath, or to assess a suspected chest abnormality. A radiologic technologist typically obtains the images, and a qualified practitioner, commonly a radiologist, interprets them and documents the findings in an imaging center, hospital, or office setting.
Select this code when three views are obtained; the documented images and interpretation should support that view count. CMS recognizes a professional component for interpretation and a technical component for the equipment and staff. Report modifier 26 for the professional component or modifier TC for the technical component; billing without either modifier represents the global service. CMS separately prices the 26 and TC modifiers. The report should identify the study and communicate the interpretation; the technical record should support the images acquired.
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 71047 pays more and less in Massachusetts
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Metropolitan Boston | $47.52 | Unavailable |
| Rest Of Massachusetts | $42.77 | Unavailable |
How the 71047 rate is calculated
Each of 71047’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 · 71047
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work0.26
0.26 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense0.95
0.95 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice0.02
0.02 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
1.2300
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$41.08
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 71047
The CMS indicators that decide how 71047 is paid alongside other services.
CMS payment indicators · 71047
Chest 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) | 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
71047 without 26 · national office
$41.08
Chest X-ray
71047-26 · Professional component
$12.69
Pays only the interpretation and report.
71047 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
4 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 71045Chest X-ray
- 71045 describes a one-view chest study. Use 71047 when three views were obtained and documented.
- 71046Chest X-ray
- 71046 is for two chest views; 71047 is for three. Choose according to the views performed.
- 71048Chest X-ray
- 71048 is for four or more chest views. A study with exactly three views is reported as 71047.
71047 billing questions
When should 71047 be selected instead of 71046?
Use 71047 when the chest study includes three views. Use 71046 when it includes two; select based on the views actually obtained and documented.
How does 71047 differ from 71048?
71047 represents three views, while 71048 is for four or more views. The documented image count determines which code describes the study.
What do modifiers 26 and TC indicate?
Modifier 26 identifies the professional interpretation component, and modifier TC identifies the technical component, including equipment and staff. Billing without either modifier represents the global service.
What documentation supports reporting three views?
The imaging record should show that three chest views were obtained, and the interpretation report should document the radiographic findings.
Can 71047 be reported for a two-view chest study?
No. A two-view chest X-ray is represented by 71046; 71047 is selected when three views are 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
Show the CMS file lines behind this rate
Fee sheets
Put 71047 and the rest of your codes on one sheet
Build a fee sheet from your own code list at your locality, put your payer contracts beside Medicare, and see what changed each quarter.
Build my fee sheetOr price your code list free →