Billing code 73722: Joint MRIMedicare rate & RVUs in Texas
MRI of a lower-extremity joint with contrast is reported when the study targets joint structures and uses a contrast-enhanced imaging protocol.
Medicare pays $291.44–$329.65 for 73722 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 73722 covers
This service is MRI of a lower-extremity joint, such as the hip, knee, or ankle, performed with contrast material. Imaging centers and radiology departments acquire the images, and a radiologist interprets them. The study is selected when the diagnostic question concerns a joint and the requested protocol uses contrast, including MR arthrography protocols when applicable.
Choose 73722 for a contrast-enhanced joint study, rather than 73721 for a study without contrast or 73723 when imaging is performed both without and with contrast. The order and radiology report should identify the joint and support the contrast-enhanced protocol. CMS recognizes professional and technical components: report modifier 26 for interpretation only, TC for equipment and staff only, or neither modifier for the global service. Diagnostic imaging multiple-procedure reduction applies to both components. For bilateral imaging, each side is paid separately at 100%.
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 73722 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
$291.44 to $329.65
8 of 8 payment localities
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Austin | $329.65 | Unavailable |
| Beaumont | $291.44 | Unavailable |
| Brazoria | $312.26 | Unavailable |
| Dallas | $313.89 | Unavailable |
| Fort Worth | $311.35 | Unavailable |
| Galveston | $312.95 | Unavailable |
| Houston | $314.96 | Unavailable |
| Rest Of Texas | $301.43 | Unavailable |
How the 73722 rate is calculated
Each of 73722’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 · 73722
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
Work 1.58Practice expense 7.74Malpractice 0.11
All indexes start at 1.000 (the national rate). Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 73722
The CMS indicators that decide how 73722 is paid alongside other services.
CMS payment indicators · 73722
Joint MRI
| Rule | CMS value | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Global period | XXX | The global surgery concept doesn’t apply. |
| Multiple procedures | 4 | Diagnostic imaging reduction applies to the technical component (and professional component) of additional services. |
| Bilateral (modifier 50) | 3 | Each side paid at 100% (no 150% cap). |
| 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
73722 without 26 · national office
$314.97
Joint MRI
73722-26 · Professional component
$75.15
Pays only the interpretation and report.
73722 compared with similar codes
Compare codes
73722 vs 73721 vs 73723 vs 73719 vs 73701: national Medicare rates
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
How to choose
- 73721Lower extremity joint MRI
- 73721 is for a lower-extremity joint MRI without contrast. Report 73722 when the joint study uses contrast.
- 73723Joint MRI
- 73723 is for joint MRI performed both without and with contrast. Report 73722 when the study is performed with contrast only.
- 73719Extremity MRI
- 73719 is MRI of lower-extremity anatomy with contrast, rather than a study specifically directed at a joint.
- 73701Extremity CT
- 73701 describes contrast-enhanced CT of the lower extremity. Choose 73722 when the selected modality is MRI and the target is a joint.
73722 billing questions
When should 73722 be selected instead of 73721?
Use 73722 when contrast is used for the lower-extremity joint MRI. Use 73721 when the joint study is performed without contrast.
How does 73722 differ from 73723?
73722 describes a joint MRI with contrast. Use 73723 when the study includes imaging both without and with contrast.
Can the professional and technical services be billed separately?
Yes. Modifier 26 identifies the interpretation, and modifier TC identifies the equipment and staff service. Billing without either modifier represents the global service.
How is bilateral imaging handled under the CMS payment rules?
Each side is paid separately at 100% when the service is performed bilaterally.
Does the multiple-procedure reduction affect only the technical component?
No. The diagnostic imaging multiple-procedure reduction applies to both the technical and professional components.
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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