Imaging · Hand

Radiographic examination of the hand requiring a minimum of three views.

Verified May 8, 2026 · 6 sources ↓

Medicare: $38.08
Total RVUs: 1.14
Global, days
Region: Hand

Drawn from CMSAAPCLakemedicalimaging

Documentation requirements

What must appear in the operative or office note to support the claim.

Source · Editorial brief grounded in 6 cited references ↓

Radiology report must document the number of views obtained (minimum three for 73130).
Specify each projection by name — PA, lateral, oblique — not just 'multiple views' or 'complete series'.
Clinical indication or ordering diagnosis must appear in the report and on the claim.
If bilateral, document which hand is right and which is left, matching LT/RT modifiers on the claim.
For component billing, confirm whether technical and professional components are split between entities and apply modifier 26 or TC accordingly.

Applicable modifiers

Modifiers commonly billed with this code.

Source · AMA CPT modifier descriptors · CMS NCCI Policy Manual

26 Professional component 50 Bilateral procedure 52 Reduced services LT Left side RT Right side 25 Significant separate E/M 76 Repeat, same physician 77 Repeat, another physician

What this code covers

Source · Editorial summary grounded in 6 cited references ↓

73130 covers a hand X-ray series of three or more views — typically posteroanterior (PA), lateral, and oblique. If fewer than three views are obtained, 73120 applies instead (two views), and a single-view study bills as 73120 with modifier 52. View count drives code selection, so the order and the report must both specify the number of projections obtained.

The global period is XXX, meaning no pre- or post-procedure period applies. If you're performing a significant, separately identifiable E&M on the same date — beyond what's inherent to reading and reporting the images — append modifier 25 to the E&M code. The imaging interpretation itself cannot be billed as a separate E&M.

Bilateral hand X-rays require careful modifier strategy. Bill 73130 twice with LT and RT modifiers, or once with modifier 50 — payer preference varies, so confirm the individual payer's bilateral imaging policy before submitting. Component billing (technical component only or professional component only) uses modifiers 26 and TC respectively, which is standard when the ordering physician and the radiologist are in separate billing entities.

RVU & reimbursement

Component RVUs and Medicare national rate. Actual payment varies by GPCI locality.

Source · CMS Physician Fee Schedule, RVU26A · January 2026

Work RVU	0.17
Practice expense RVU	0.95
Malpractice RVU	0.02
Total RVU	1.14
Medicare national rate	$38.08
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	$38.08
HOPD (APC 5521) Hospital outpatient department	$88.91

Common denial reasons

The recurring reasons claims for CPT 73130 get rejected.

Source · Editorial brief grounded in CMS NCCI edits, AAOS coding appeals, and cited references ↓

Fewer than three views documented — should have billed 73120 or 73120-52 instead.
Bilateral study submitted without LT/RT or modifier 50, triggering a laterality edit.
Missing or insufficient clinical indication linking the imaging to a covered diagnosis.
Duplicate claim denial when 73120 and 73130 are both billed for the same hand on the same date.
Professional component billed without modifier 26 when the ordering and interpreting providers are in separate billing entities.

Frequently asked questions

Source · Generated from the editorial pipeline, verified against 6 cited references ↓

01What's the difference between 73120 and 73130?

View count. 73130 requires a minimum of three views. Two views bill as 73120. One view bills as 73120 with modifier 52. The radiology report must document the exact number of projections obtained.

02How do I bill bilateral hand X-rays?

Bill 73130 twice with LT on one line and RT on the other, or once with modifier 50. Payers differ — Medicare generally prefers LT/RT; some commercial plans prefer modifier 50. Confirm before submitting or you'll trigger a laterality edit.

03Can I bill an E&M on the same day as 73130?

Yes, if the E&M is significant and separately identifiable beyond reading and reporting the images. Append modifier 25 to the E&M code. The XXX global on 73130 means no global surgery rules restrict same-day E&M billing, but the E&M cannot include work inherent to interpreting the study.

04When do I use modifier 26 or TC with 73130?

Use modifier 26 when the physician interprets the images but does not own the equipment. Use TC when billing only for the technical component — the equipment, technologist, and supplies. Bill without either modifier only when the same entity owns the equipment and employs the interpreting physician.

05Can 73130 and 73140 (finger X-ray) be billed together on the same date?

Generally no without a strong clinical justification. NCCI edits may bundle finger and hand imaging when performed at the same encounter. If the studies are clinically distinct and separately ordered, use an NCCI-associated modifier and document the medical necessity for each.

06Is 73130 billable in an ASC setting?

ASC payment does not apply to 73130 per CMS. The code is primarily reimbursed in the physician office or HOPD setting. Verify facility billing rules with your MAC before submitting in an ASC context.

Sources & references

Editorial content was developed using the following public sources. Last verified May 8, 2026.

Mira AI Scribe

Mira's AI scribe captures the number of views ordered and obtained, the laterality of the study, and the clinical indication from dictation — preventing the most common 73130 denial: a view-count mismatch between the order, the report, and the billed code. It also flags same-day bilateral studies so the coder can confirm LT/RT versus modifier 50 before submission.

See how Mira captures CPT 73130 documentation