Billing code 77072: Bone ageMedicare rate & RVUs in Michigan
Reports a radiographic assessment of skeletal maturity, commonly used in children when growth or endocrine evaluation calls for comparison with expected bone development.
Medicare pays $23.87–$25.20 for 77072 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 77072 covers
A bone age study uses radiographic images, typically of the hand and wrist, to assess skeletal maturity. A radiologist or other qualified interpreting practitioner evaluates the images and estimates how developed the bones appear relative to expected maturation. Pediatricians and pediatric endocrinologists commonly request the study when evaluating growth concerns or disorders that can affect development. The clinical question is skeletal maturity, not bone density or the length of a limb.
Select this code when the service performed is a bone age assessment, and retain documentation supporting the reason for the study and the interpreting report. CMS recognizes a professional component for interpretation and a technical component for the equipment and staff; bill modifier 26 for the professional portion or modifier TC for the technical portion. Billing without either modifier represents the global service, including both 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 77072 pays more and less in Michigan
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Detroit | $25.20 | Unavailable |
| Rest Of Michigan | $23.87 | Unavailable |
How the 77072 rate is calculated
Each of 77072’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 · 77072
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work0.19
0.19 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense0.55
0.55 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice0.02
0.02 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
0.7600
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$25.38
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 77072
The CMS indicators that decide how 77072 is paid alongside other services.
CMS payment indicators · 77072
Bone age
| 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
77072 without 26 · national office
$25.38
Bone age
77072-26 · Professional component
$9.02
Pays only the interpretation and report.
77072 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
4 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 77073Bone length study
- Choose 77072 when the clinical question is skeletal maturity; choose 77073 when imaging is intended to assess bone length.
- 77074Skeletal survey
- 77074 is a limited osseous survey, used to survey bones for a different diagnostic question; 77072 assesses skeletal maturity.
- 77080DXA bone density scan
- 77080 is an axial DXA bone-density study. It measures bone density rather than estimating skeletal maturity from radiographs.
77072 billing questions
How is a bone age study different from a bone length study?
This code represents assessment of skeletal maturity. Use 77073 when the requested imaging evaluates bone length, such as in a limb-length assessment.
When should modifier 26 or TC be reported?
Use modifier 26 for the professional interpretation or modifier TC for the technical service. Without either modifier, the claim represents the global service.
What documentation supports reporting this study?
Keep the clinical reason for assessing skeletal maturity and the interpreting report. The report should document the findings relevant to the bone age assessment.
Is this a bone-density test?
No. This study assesses skeletal maturity from radiographs; bone-density studies such as DXA evaluate bone mineral density.
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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