Billing code 72081: Spine X-rayMedicare rate & RVUs in Ohio
Reports a one-view radiographic study covering the entire spine, commonly obtained to assess scoliosis or overall spinal alignment.
Medicare pays $41.08 for 72081 in the office in Ohio (Ohio). 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 72081 covers
This service covers a single radiographic projection that includes the entire spine, rather than a study limited to one spinal region. It is commonly ordered to evaluate scoliosis or overall spinal alignment. A radiologic technologist acquires the image in an office imaging department or hospital, and a radiologist or other qualified physician interprets it and documents the findings.
Select the code when the order, image, and report support one view of the entire spine. The record should identify the study coverage and projection, with an interpretation addressing the clinical question. Modifier 26 identifies the physician’s interpretation and report; modifier TC identifies the equipment and staff used to acquire the image. Billing without either modifier represents the global service, including both portions.
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.
72081 in Ohio
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Ohio | $41.08 | Unavailable |
How the 72081 rate is calculated
Each of 72081’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 · 72081
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
Work 0.25Practice expense 1.04Malpractice 0.03
All indexes start at 1.000 (the national rate). Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 72081
The CMS indicators that decide how 72081 is paid alongside other services.
CMS payment indicators · 72081
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
72081 without 26 · national office
$44.09
Spine X-ray
72081-26 · Professional component
$12.69
Pays only the interpretation and report.
72081 compared with similar codes
Compare codes
72081 vs 72020 vs 72082 vs 72083 vs 72084: national Medicare rates
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
How to choose
- 72020Spine X-ray
- Both describe a one-view spine radiograph, but 72081 is for the entire spine; 72020 is used when the documented study is not an entire-spine examination.
- 72082Spine X-ray
- Both cover the entire spine. Choose 72081 for one view and 72082 for two or three views.
- 72083Spine X-ray
- This sibling covers four or five views of the entire spine; 72081 is limited to one view.
- 72084Full-spine X-ray
- This sibling covers six or more views of the entire spine; 72081 is for a single view.
72081 billing questions
When should this code be chosen over 72082?
Use this code for one view of the entire spine. Code 72082 represents an entire-spine study with two or three views.
Does a scoliosis diagnosis automatically support this code?
No. The documented study must cover the entire spine and consist of one view; the diagnosis alone does not determine the code.
Can the interpretation be billed separately?
Yes. Modifier 26 identifies the professional interpretation and report. Without a modifier, the code represents the global service.
What does modifier TC represent?
Modifier TC identifies the technical portion, including the equipment and staff used to acquire the radiograph.
Are the cervical, thoracic, and lumbar regions separate units?
No. This code describes one view of the entire spine, not separate units for each spinal region included in that image.
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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