Billing code 73218: Extremity MRIMedicare rate & RVUs in Washington
Reports MRI of an upper-extremity region outside a joint, without contrast, to evaluate soft-tissue or bone abnormalities when MRI findings are needed.
Medicare pays $316.62–$362.95 for 73218 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 73218 covers
This service is an MRI examination of an upper-extremity area that is not being imaged as a joint study, acquired without injected contrast. It can address concerns such as a soft-tissue mass, infection, or injury involving the arm, forearm, or non-joint-focused hand tissues. A radiologic technologist obtains images in a hospital or freestanding imaging center; a radiologist interprets them for the ordering clinician.
Choose this code when the documented target is an upper-extremity region rather than a joint-centered examination. The order and report should identify the body region, laterality, clinical indication, and noncontrast protocol. Report a separate service for each side examined; under CMS, each side is paid separately at 100% when performed bilaterally. The study may be billed globally, or the interpretation may be billed with modifier 26 and the equipment and staff portion with modifier TC; CMS separately prices those components. When multiple diagnostic imaging procedures are billed, the multiple-procedure reduction applies to both the professional and technical 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 73218 pays more and less in Washington
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Rest Of Washington | $316.62 | Unavailable |
| Seattle (King Cnty) | $362.95 | Unavailable |
How the 73218 rate is calculated
Each of 73218’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 · 73218
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
Work 1.32Practice expense 7.66Malpractice 0.10
All indexes start at 1.000 (the national rate). Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 73218
The CMS indicators that decide how 73218 is paid alongside other services.
CMS payment indicators · 73218
Extremity 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
73218 without 26 · national office
$303.28
Extremity MRI
73218-26 · Professional component
$62.79
Pays only the interpretation and report.
73218 compared with similar codes
Compare codes
73218 vs 73221 vs 73219 vs 73220 vs 73200: national Medicare rates
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
How to choose
- 73221Joint MRI
- This code is for a non-joint-focused upper-extremity MRI. Choose 73221 when the study is centered on an upper-extremity joint.
- 73219Extremity MRI
- Both codes cover non-joint-focused upper-extremity MRI; 73219 is for a study performed with contrast.
- 73220Extremity MRI
- Both codes cover non-joint-focused upper-extremity MRI; 73220 is for imaging performed before and after contrast.
- 73200Ct upper extremity w/o dye
- 73200 reports a CT examination of the upper extremity without contrast, while this code reports MRI without contrast.
73218 billing questions
When should this code be chosen instead of a joint MRI code?
Use this code when the imaged target is an upper-extremity region outside a joint. A joint-centered examination, such as an MRI focused on the wrist or elbow joint, belongs to the joint MRI code family.
How does this differ from the contrast MRI codes in this family?
This code represents a noncontrast study. Use the corresponding family code when the examination uses contrast or includes both precontrast and postcontrast imaging.
Can the interpretation and image acquisition be billed separately?
Yes. Modifier 26 identifies the professional interpretation, and modifier TC identifies the technical service; billing without either modifier represents the global service.
How is a bilateral examination handled under the CMS payment rule?
CMS pays each side separately at 100% when both sides are examined. The documentation should support the examination of each side.
What documentation supports reporting this code?
Document the upper-extremity region and side examined, the clinical reason for imaging, and that the study was performed without contrast. The report should identify the findings for the imaged region.
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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