$92.55–$108.43
Use 74210 for imaging directed to the pharynx and/or cervical esophagus. Use 74220 for a broader esophageal examination with a single-contrast approach.
On this page
CMS RVU26D · Effective 2026-10-01
74210 Contrast X-ray Medicare reimbursement rates in Virginia
A radiologist uses contrast imaging to examine the pharynx and cervical esophagus when evaluation is focused on these upper swallowing structures. Compare 74210 office and facility rates across CMS payment localities in Virginia.
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 74210 in Virginia?
Virginia has 2 payment localities in this comparison. Use the service location to choose the applicable amount. These are the supported base rates for the 2 payment areas shown below, using the same CMS release.
Office / nonfacility
$89.59–$104.93
2 of 2 localities have a supported rate.
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 74210: Pharynx and cervical esophagus contrast study
A radiologist uses contrast imaging to examine the pharynx and cervical esophagus when evaluation is focused on these upper swallowing structures.
This fluoroscopic contrast examination evaluates the pharynx and cervical portion of the esophagus, with radiographic images documenting the study. A radiologist typically performs and interprets it in a hospital or imaging department. It may be ordered when symptoms such as difficulty swallowing call for assessment of the upper swallowing passage; the precise anatomy examined distinguishes it from an examination of the esophagus more broadly.
Report 74210 when the documented examination is directed to the pharynx and/or cervical esophagus, rather than a full esophageal study or a functional swallowing evaluation. The imaging report should identify the anatomy examined and describe the contrast study and findings. CMS recognizes professional and technical components: modifier 26 identifies the interpretation, modifier TC identifies the equipment and staff, and reporting without either modifier represents the global service.
CMS billing rules for 74210
- 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 RVU0.58 · 21%
- Practice expense (office) RVU2.11 · 77%
- Malpractice RVU0.04 · 1%
556
Medicare services in 2024 · #3463 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.
74210 compared with similar codes
Office rates for Virginia, from the same CMS release.
$103.68–$121.41
74221 describes a broader esophageal examination using a double-contrast approach; 74210 is focused on the pharynx and/or cervical esophagus.
$118.12–$139.41
74230 is for functional swallowing imaging. Use 74210 when the documented contrast examination is directed to the pharynx and/or cervical esophagus.
Compare 74210 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.
2 of 2 payment localities
Dc + Md/Va Suburbs →
Office / nonfacility
$104.93
Facility
Unavailable
Virginia →
Office / nonfacility
$89.59
Facility
Unavailable
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74210 billing questions
When would 74230 be a better fit?
74230 describes a functional swallowing examination. Choose it when the study evaluates swallowing function rather than imaging focused on the pharynx and cervical esophagus.
Can the professional and technical portions be billed separately?
Yes. Report modifier 26 for the professional interpretation and modifier TC for the technical service involving equipment and staff. Without either modifier, the claim represents the global service.
What documentation supports reporting 74210?
The report should show that the pharynx and/or cervical esophagus was examined with contrast and document the imaging findings. The documented anatomy should support this code rather than a broader esophageal or functional swallowing study.
Should 74210 be reported with 74220 for one contrast examination?
Do not choose both solely because the examination includes the upper esophagus. Select the code that matches the anatomy and scope documented in the radiology report.
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.
8,33674190,,Peritoneogram rs&i,C,,0.00,0.00,,0.00,NA,0.00,0.00,0.00,1,XXX,0.00,0.00,0.00,0,0,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,16.85,16.85,0.04
8,33774190,26,Peritoneogram rs&i,A,,0.47,0.15,,0.15,,0.03,0.65,0.65,1,XXX,0.00,0.00,0.00,0,0,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
8,33874190,TC,Peritoneogram rs&i,C,,0.00,0.00,,0.00,NA,0.00,0.00,0.00,1,XXX,0.00,0.00,0.00,0,0,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,03,0,99,16.70,16.70,0.01
8,33974210,,X-ray xm phrnx&/crv esoph c+,A,,0.58,2.11,,2.11,NA,0.04,2.73,2.73,1,XXX,0.00,0.00,0.00,0,0,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,5.54,5.54,0.06
8,34074210,26,X-ray xm phrnx&/crv esoph c+,A,,0.58,0.20,,0.20,,0.03,0.81,0.81,1,XXX,0.00,0.00,0.00,0,0,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
8,34174210,TC,X-ray xm phrnx&/crv esoph c+,A,,0.00,1.91,,1.91,NA,0.01,1.92,1.92,1,XXX,0.00,0.00,0.00,0,0,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,03,0,99,5.34,5.34,0.03
8,34274220,,X-ray xm esophagus 1cntrst,A,,0.59,2.19,,2.19,NA,0.04,2.82,2.82,1,XXX,0.00,0.00,0.00,0,0,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,5.55,5.55,0.06