A chest radiograph series with four or more views, adding oblique or other projections to the standard frontal and lateral images.
- Medicare
- $45.09
- Work RVU
- 0.3
- Global, days
- Region
- Other
Documentation requirements
What must appear in the operative or office note to support the claim.
Source · Editorial brief grounded in 3 cited references ↓
- Report listing four or more views
- Reason the extra projections were needed
- Area of concern, such as chest wall or a nodule
- Signed order with clinical indication
- Mechanism of injury when trauma related
Applicable modifiers
Modifiers commonly billed with this code.
Source · AMA CPT modifier descriptors · CMS NCCI Policy Manual
What this code covers
Source · Editorial summary grounded in 3 cited references ↓
71048 is a chest x-ray with four or more views. The extra projections are usually obliques or apical views added to look at a specific area, such as the ribs, a nodule, or a suspected pneumothorax.
Orthopedic and trauma teams may order it after a fall when there is chest wall tenderness and the standard two views do not settle the question. Many sites use a dedicated rib series instead, which has its own codes (71100 to 71111). Choose one approach. Billing a four-view chest and a rib series for the same images is a duplicate.
The report must state the number of views. If it says three, the code is 71047. Pre-op screening rules are the same as for 71046: Medicare wants a clinical reason, and the extra views need their own justification. A four-view study for a routine pre-op clearance will draw scrutiny.
RVU & reimbursement
Component RVUs and Medicare national rate. Actual payment varies by GPCI locality.
Source · CMS Physician Fee Schedule, RVU26A · January 2026
Work RVU vs. total RVU
The work RVU (0.3) is the surgeon's own effort — the figure physician pay and productivity targets are built on. The total RVU (1.35) adds practice overhead and malpractice, and is what drives the Medicare payment below.
| Work RVU | 0.3 |
| Practice expense RVU | 1.02 |
| Malpractice RVU | 0.03 |
| Total RVU | 1.35 |
| Medicare national rate | $45.09 |
| Global period | days |
Payment by site of service
Medicare pays different rates by setting. HOPD typically pays substantially more than ASC for the same procedure.
Source · CMS OPPS Addendum B·ASC HCPCS payment rates·2026
| Setting | Medicare rate (national) |
|---|---|
Office (PFS non-facility) Procedure performed in physician's office | $45.09 |
HOPD (APC 5522) Hospital outpatient department | $106.81 |
Common denial reasons
The recurring reasons claims for CPT 71048 get rejected.
Source · Editorial brief grounded in CMS NCCI edits, AAOS coding appeals, and cited references ↓
- Report shows fewer than four views
- Billed with a rib series covering the same images
- Routine pre-op diagnosis with no reason for extra views
- No signed interpretation
- Professional component billed without modifier 26 in a facility
Frequently asked questions
Source · Generated from the editorial pipeline, verified against 3 cited references ↓
01How many views are in 71048?
02Can 71048 and a rib x-ray be billed together?
03Is 71048 appropriate for pre-op clearance?
Sources & references
Editorial content was developed using the following public sources.
Mira Scribe
When the exam finds focal chest wall tenderness after a fall, Mira Scribe records the location and findings, which explains why the extra views were ordered.
See how Mira captures CPT 71048 documentation