Billing code 70210: Sinus X-rayMedicare rate & RVUs in Washington
Reports a plain-film examination of the paranasal sinuses using fewer than three views to evaluate suspected sinus disease or related findings.
Medicare pays $33.69–$38.47 for 70210 in the office in Washington, from Rest Of Washington to Seattle (King Cnty). 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 70210 covers
This service is a limited plain-film study of the paranasal sinuses, with fewer than three radiographic views. A radiologic technologist obtains the images in a hospital, imaging center, or office with X-ray equipment; a physician, commonly a radiologist, interprets the study. It may be ordered when a clinician is evaluating symptoms or findings involving the sinuses, although the specific imaging method depends on the clinical question.
Choose this code based on the number of views performed, not simply the number of sinuses or symptoms evaluated. The record should support the sinus study and the views obtained. Medicare recognizes professional and technical components: report modifier 26 for the physician’s interpretation and report modifier TC for the equipment and staff portion when those portions are billed separately. Without either modifier, the service represents the global study, including both components.
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 70210 pays more and less in Washington
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Rest Of Washington | $33.69 | Unavailable |
| Seattle (King Cnty) | $38.47 | Unavailable |
How the 70210 rate is calculated
Each of 70210’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 · 70210
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
Work 0.17Practice expense 0.78Malpractice 0.02
All indexes start at 1.000 (the national rate). Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 70210
The CMS indicators that decide how 70210 is paid alongside other services.
CMS payment indicators · 70210
Sinus 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
70210 without 26 · national office
$32.40
Sinus X-ray
70210-26 · Professional component
$8.35
Pays only the interpretation and report.
70210 compared with similar codes
Compare codes
70210 vs 70220 vs 70486 vs 70200: national Medicare rates
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
How to choose
- 70220Sinus X-ray
- Use 70210 for a sinus radiograph with fewer than three views; use 70220 when three or more views are obtained.
- 70486Maxillofacial CT
- 70486 is a CT examination of the maxillofacial area without contrast. This code reports a plain-film sinus study with fewer than three views.
- 70200Orbit X-ray
- 70200 is an X-ray examination of the eye sockets, not a limited-view study of the paranasal sinuses.
70210 billing questions
How does this code differ from 70220?
Select this code when fewer than three sinus views are obtained. Code 70220 is the sibling code for a study with three or more views.
What do modifiers 26 and TC identify?
Modifier 26 identifies the professional interpretation, while modifier TC identifies the technical portion, including equipment and staff. Without either modifier, the claim represents the global service.
What documentation supports the view-count selection?
The imaging record should identify the sinus examination and the views obtained. The documented count distinguishes this limited-view study from 70220.
Can the professional and technical portions be billed separately?
Yes. CMS separately prices the professional and technical components when reported with modifiers 26 and TC, respectively.
When might a sinus CT be selected instead?
A clinician may choose CT when the clinical question calls for cross-sectional evaluation of the paranasal sinuses. Code 70486 describes a CT study of the maxillofacial area without contrast, rather than a plain-film sinus examination.
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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