Billing code 72082: Spine X-rayMedicare rate & RVUs in Michigan
Reports radiographic imaging of the entire spine using two or three views, commonly to assess spinal alignment or deformity across multiple regions.
Medicare pays $66.65–$70.37 for 72082 in the office in Michigan, from Rest Of Michigan to Detroit. 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 72082 covers
This service covers radiographs of the entire spine, with two or three views obtained to assess alignment across the spinal regions. It is commonly used when evaluating scoliosis, spinal curvature, or other alignment concerns that require imaging beyond a single spinal region. Imaging staff acquire the views, and a physician—often a radiologist or spine specialist—interprets the study. The service may be performed in an office imaging department or a hospital setting.
Select this code when the documented study covers the entire spine and includes two or three views. The imaging report and order should support the anatomic extent and view count; a study limited to the thoracolumbar region or a single spinal region points to a different code. CMS recognizes professional and technical components: report modifier 26 for the interpretation, modifier TC for equipment and staff, or neither modifier for the global service. The interpretation documentation should support the physician’s findings for the submitted study.
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 72082 pays more and less in Michigan
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Detroit | $70.37 | Unavailable |
| Rest Of Michigan | $66.65 | Unavailable |
How the 72082 rate is calculated
Each of 72082’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 · 72082
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work0.30
0.30 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense1.82
1.82 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice0.03
0.03 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
2.1500
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$71.81
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 72082
The CMS indicators that decide how 72082 is paid alongside other services.
CMS payment indicators · 72082
Spine 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
72082 without 26 · national office
$71.81
Spine X-ray
72082-26 · Professional component
$15.03
Pays only the interpretation and report.
72082 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
4 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 72081Spine X-ray
- Choose 72081 for an entire-spine study consisting of one view; 72082 requires two or three views.
- 72083Spine X-ray
- Choose 72083 when the entire-spine study has four or five views. Two or three views support 72082.
- 72080Spine X-ray
- 72080 describes imaging of the thoracolumbar region; 72082 is for a study covering the entire spine with two or three views.
72082 billing questions
How does this differ from 72081 or 72083?
All three describe imaging of the entire spine, but the view count distinguishes them: 72081 is for one view, 72082 for two or three, and 72083 for four or five.
When should 72080 be used instead?
Use 72080 when the radiographic exam covers the thoracolumbar region rather than the entire spine. The documented anatomic coverage, not the reason for imaging alone, guides the choice.
How are the professional and technical portions reported?
Report modifier 26 for the physician’s interpretation and modifier TC for the technical service. Submit without either modifier when billing the global service.
What documentation supports this code?
The order and imaging report should establish that the study covers the entire spine and includes two or three views. The report should also document the interpreting physician’s findings.
Can a scoliosis evaluation support 72082?
Yes, when the radiographs cover the entire spine and the study consists of two or three views. A scoliosis diagnosis alone does not establish the required coverage or view count.
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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