Billing code 70371: Speech imagingMedicare rate & RVUs in Texas
Reports dynamic imaging of pharyngeal function during speech when recorded cine or video evaluation is needed to assess a speech-related concern.
Medicare pays $103.71–$115.86 for 70371 in the office in Texas, from Beaumont to Austin. 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 70371 covers
This study uses dynamic imaging with cine or video recording to assess pharyngeal movement during speech. It is commonly used when a speech-related concern requires visualization of structures such as the soft palate and pharynx during speech tasks. The examination is generally performed in a radiology setting, with imaging staff and a radiologist involved; a speech-language pathologist may help elicit and assess speech samples.
Report the study when the documented service is a complex, recorded dynamic pharyngeal evaluation for speech, rather than a routine throat imaging examination or a clinical speech assessment without imaging. Documentation should identify the speech-related concern, the dynamic imaging performed, and the interpretation. CMS separately prices the professional and technical portions: modifier 26 identifies interpretation, and modifier TC identifies equipment and staff. Reporting the code without either modifier represents the global service.
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 70371 pays more and less in Texas
The same RVUs, adjusted for each area’s costs. Open a locality for its calculation, history and nearby areas.
8 payment localities
$103.71 to $115.86
8 of 8 payment localities
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Austin | $115.86 | Unavailable |
| Beaumont | $103.71 | Unavailable |
| Brazoria | $110.34 | Unavailable |
| Dallas | $110.91 | Unavailable |
| Fort Worth | $110.11 | Unavailable |
| Galveston | $110.58 | Unavailable |
| Houston | $111.50 | Unavailable |
| Rest Of Texas | $106.87 | Unavailable |
How the 70371 rate is calculated
Each of 70371’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 · 70371
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
Work 0.82Practice expense 2.46Malpractice 0.05
All indexes start at 1.000 (the national rate). Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 70371
The CMS indicators that decide how 70371 is paid alongside other services.
CMS payment indicators · 70371
Speech imaging
| 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
70371 without 26 · national office
$111.22
Speech imaging
70371-26 · Professional component
$41.08
Pays only the interpretation and report.
70371 compared with similar codes
Compare codes
70371 vs 70370 vs 74230 vs 92522: national Medicare rates
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
How to choose
- 70370Throat imaging
- 70370 is the throat radiographic examination. Choose 70371 when the service is a complex dynamic pharyngeal study recorded to evaluate speech.
- 74230Swallow study
- 74230 evaluates swallowing function by imaging; 70371 evaluates pharyngeal movement during speech.
- 92522Speech evaluation
- 92522 is a clinical evaluation of speech-sound production without dynamic radiographic recording. 70371 is the imaging study.
70371 billing questions
When should 70371 be chosen over 70370?
Use 70371 for a complex dynamic pharyngeal study recorded during speech evaluation. Code 70370 describes a throat radiographic examination rather than this speech-focused recorded study.
What do modifiers 26 and TC identify?
Modifier 26 identifies the professional interpretation, while modifier TC identifies the technical service, including equipment and staff. Without either modifier, 70371 represents the global service.
Is 70371 a general speech-language evaluation?
No. It reports a dynamic imaging examination of pharyngeal function during speech, not a clinical speech assessment performed without imaging.
How does 70371 differ from a swallowing study?
70371 focuses on pharyngeal function during speech. A swallowing-function imaging study, such as 74230, addresses swallowing rather than speech performance.
What should the record support?
Document the speech-related concern, the dynamic imaging and recording performed, and the interpretation. When the service is split, the claim should identify the professional or technical portion being reported.
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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