$22.38
72020 describes a single-view spine X-ray. Choose 72040 when two or three cervical spine views are obtained.
On this page
CMS RVU26D · Effective 2026-10-01
72040 Cervical spine X-ray Medicare reimbursement rates in New Mexico
Reports a plain radiographic examination of the cervical spine with two or three views, commonly ordered to evaluate neck pain, stiffness, or injury. Compare 72040 office and facility rates across CMS payment localities in New Mexico.
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 72040 in New Mexico?
New Mexico has 1 payment locality in this comparison. Use the service location to choose the applicable amount. These are the supported base rates for the payment area shown below, using the same CMS release.
Office / nonfacility
$37.22
1 of 1 localities have a supported rate.
Payment area: New Mexico
One mapped payment locality.
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 72040: Cervical spine radiograph, two to three views
Reports a plain radiographic examination of the cervical spine with two or three views, commonly ordered to evaluate neck pain, stiffness, or injury.
This service is a plain X-ray examination of the cervical spine, capturing two or three views to assess the neck vertebrae and alignment. It is commonly ordered for symptoms such as neck pain or stiffness and for evaluation after an injury. A radiologic technologist typically acquires the images in an imaging department, hospital, or physician office; a radiologist or other qualified physician interprets them and documents findings.
Select this code when the completed cervical spine examination contains two or three views; use the documented views obtained rather than the number requested. The record should identify the cervical spine, the images acquired, and the clinical reason for the study, with an interpretation supporting the professional service. CMS recognizes professional and technical components: report modifier 26 for interpretation, modifier TC for equipment and staff, or neither modifier when billing the global service. The professional and technical components are separately priced when billed with their respective modifiers.
CMS billing rules for 72040
- 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 RVU0.21 · 18%
- Practice expense (office) RVU0.96 · 81%
- Malpractice RVU0.02 · 2%
627.9K
Medicare services in 2024 · #202 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.
72040 compared with similar codes
Office rates for New Mexico, from the same CMS release.
$51.54
72050 is for four- or five-view cervical spine imaging; 72040 is for two or three views.
$58.67
72052 applies to cervical spine examinations with six or more views, rather than the two- or three-view study reported with 72040.
Compare 72040 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.
1 of 1 payment localities
New Mexico →
Office / nonfacility
$37.22
Facility
Unavailable
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How this local rate is calculated
Each RVU component is multiplied by its own geographic practice cost index (GPCI). The three adjusted components are added, then multiplied by the conversion factor. These are the inputs used for 72040 in New Mexico.
PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv
7,940
- Code
- 72040
- Physician work
- 0.21
- Practice expense
- 0.96
- Malpractice
- 0.02
GPCI2026.csv
77
- Locality
- New Mexico
- Physician work
- 1.000
- Practice expense
- 0.917
- Malpractice
- 1.201
| Component | RVU | Locality factor | Adjusted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Physician work | 0.21 | × 1.000 | 0.2100 |
| Practice expense | 0.96 | × 0.917 | 0.8803 |
| Malpractice | 0.02 | × 1.201 | 0.0240 |
| Total RVUs | 1.1143 | ||
| Conversion factor | × 33.4009 | ||
Office / nonfacility rate, New Mexico$37.22
Explore RVUs, geographic factors and the full formula
Office / nonfacility
| Component | RVU | Local GPCI |
|---|---|---|
| Work | 0.21 | 1 |
| Practice expense | 0.96 | 0.917 |
| Malpractice | 0.02 | 1.201 |
(0.21 × 1 + 0.96 × 0.917 + 0.02 × 1.201) × $33.4009 = $37.22
The office and facility calculations use their respective practice-expense RVUs. The facility amount here is the physician fee, not a separate hospital or facility bill.
72040 billing questions
How is this code distinguished from the four- or five-view cervical spine code?
Use 72040 for a cervical spine examination with two or three views. When the completed study has four or five views, compare with 72050.
Does 72040 include the radiologist's interpretation?
The global service includes both image acquisition and interpretation. A professional-only claim uses modifier 26; a technical-only claim uses modifier TC.
What documentation supports the view count?
Document the cervical spine study and the views actually acquired. The report should also identify the clinical reason and include the interpretation when the professional service is billed.
Can 72040 be reported for a one-view cervical spine study?
No. The one-view spine code, 72020, is the relevant comparison when only one view is performed; 72040 describes two or three cervical spine views.
Is this code appropriate for thoracic spine imaging?
No. 72040 is specific to the cervical spine. Thoracic spine studies use codes for that region, with selection based on the views 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 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.
7,93772020,,X-ray exam of spine 1 view,A,,0.16,0.53,,0.53,NA,0.02,0.71,0.71,1,XXX,0.00,0.00,0.00,0,0,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,2.67,2.67,0.07
7,93872020,26,X-ray exam of spine 1 view,A,,0.16,0.06,,0.06,,0.01,0.23,0.23,1,XXX,0.00,0.00,0.00,0,0,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
7,93972020,TC,X-ray exam of spine 1 view,A,,0.00,0.47,,0.47,NA,0.01,0.48,0.48,1,XXX,0.00,0.00,0.00,0,0,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,01,0,99,2.61,2.61,0.06
7,94072040,,X-ray exam neck spine 2-3 vw,A,,0.21,0.96,,0.96,NA,0.02,1.19,1.19,1,XXX,0.00,0.00,0.00,0,0,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,2.72,2.72,0.04
7,94172040,26,X-ray exam neck spine 2-3 vw,A,,0.21,0.09,,0.09,,0.01,0.31,0.31,1,XXX,0.00,0.00,0.00,0,0,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
7,94272040,TC,X-ray exam neck spine 2-3 vw,A,,0.00,0.87,,0.87,NA,0.01,0.88,0.88,1,XXX,0.00,0.00,0.00,0,0,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,01,0,99,2.63,2.63,0.03
7,94372050,,X-ray exam neck spine 4/5vws,A,,0.26,1.36,,1.36,NA,0.03,1.65,1.65,1,XXX,0.00,0.00,0.00,0,0,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,3.28,3.28,0.05
7414312,NH,40,NEW HAMPSHIRE,1.000,1.041,0.875
7512402,NJ,01,NORTHERN NJ,1.063,1.160,1.068
7612402,NJ,99,REST OF NEW JERSEY,1.040,1.092,1.097
7704212,NM,05,NEW MEXICO,1.000,0.917,1.201
7813202,NY,01,MANHATTAN,1.064,1.162,1.586
7913202,NY,02,NYC SUBURBS/LONG ISLAND,1.064,1.189,1.857
8013202,NY,03,POUGHKPSIE/N NYC SUBURBS,1.045,1.095,1.210