Imaging · Hand

Radiologic examination of one or more fingers, requiring a minimum of two views.

Verified May 8, 2026 · 6 sources ↓

Medicare: $39.41
Total RVUs: 1.18
Global, days
Region: Hand

Drawn from CMSAAPCBedrockbillingAMA

Documentation requirements

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

Source · Editorial brief grounded in 6 cited references ↓

Specify which finger(s) were imaged and the laterality (left, right, or bilateral).
Document clinical indication — fracture suspicion, dislocation, arthritis workup, or foreign body — to support medical necessity.
Confirm minimum two views were obtained and name them (PA, lateral, oblique) in the radiology report.
If billing the professional component only (modifier 26), the interpreting physician's signed report must be in the record.
When billing same-day with 73130, document that the studies were performed on opposite extremities if using LT/RT to override the NCCI edit.

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 59 Distinct service 76 Repeat, same physician 77 Repeat, another physician LT Left side RT Right side XS Separate structure

What this code covers

Source · Editorial summary grounded in 6 cited references ↓

CPT 73140 covers a finger X-ray series of at least two views, used to evaluate bone and joint integrity across the phalanges. It applies whether one finger or multiple fingers are imaged in the same session — the code does not stack per finger. The global period is XXX, meaning no pre- or post-operative services are bundled; each encounter bills independently.

Billing splits are common here. If a physician owns the equipment and performs the interpretation, bill 73140 globally. If a radiologist reads films on equipment owned by the facility, bill 73140-26 for the professional component only. Hospitals and outpatient imaging centers bill the technical component separately. Most denials on this code trace back to laterality ambiguity or same-day conflicts with 73130 (hand X-ray) when both are billed for the same extremity.

The NCCI PTP edit pairing 73140 with 73130 can be overridden — but only with LT/RT modifiers when the studies were performed on opposite hands. Modifier 59 does not appropriately override this edit when the finger and hand images are from the same contiguous anatomic region on the same extremity. If the images were taken on opposite sides, LT and RT cleanly resolve the edit.

RVU & reimbursement

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

Source · CMS Physician Fee Schedule, RVU26A · January 2026

Work RVU	0.13
Practice expense RVU	1.03
Malpractice RVU	0.02
Total RVU	1.18
Medicare national rate	$39.41
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	$39.41
HOPD (APC 5521) Hospital outpatient department	$88.91

Common denial reasons

The recurring reasons claims for CPT 73140 get rejected.

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

Bundled with 73130 (hand X-ray) billed same-day on the same extremity — NCCI PTP edit fires and modifier 59 does not appropriately override it in this scenario.
Missing or ambiguous laterality when LT or RT modifier is absent on a unilateral study.
Medical necessity not established — vague indications like 'finger pain' without a supporting ICD-10 diagnosis tied to imaging.
Duplicate billing when the global service (no modifier) and a component modifier (26 or TC) are both submitted for the same date.

Frequently asked questions

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

01Can I bill 73140 and 73130 together on the same date?

Only if the studies were performed on opposite hands. Use LT on one code and RT on the other to override the NCCI PTP edit. If both were done on the same hand — fingers and hand imaged together — do not use modifier 59 to bypass the bundle; the finger study is considered a contiguous anatomic structure, and the edit stands.

02Does 73140 cover multiple fingers or do I bill once per finger?

73140 is billed once per session regardless of how many fingers are imaged. The code descriptor says 'finger(s)' — plural is already contemplated. Stacking units per finger is incorrect and will trigger an MUE denial.

03When should I use modifier 26 versus billing 73140 globally?

Bill 73140 globally when the same entity owns the equipment and provides the interpretation. Use modifier 26 when a physician interprets films on equipment owned by a facility or another party. The facility bills the technical component separately. Double-billing both global and a component modifier on the same claim is a common audit flag.

04Is modifier 50 appropriate for bilateral finger X-rays?

Modifier 50 is an option when corresponding fingers on both hands are imaged symmetrically in a single session. Many payers prefer LT and RT on separate line items instead. Check payer-specific instructions — this is genuinely variable by carrier.

05What ICD-10 codes best support medical necessity for 73140?

Fracture codes (S62.x), dislocation codes (S63.x), inflammatory arthropathy codes (M05–M06 for RA, M10 for gout), and foreign body codes (T14.x) all support medical necessity well. A standalone symptom code like M79.89 (other specified soft tissue disorders) without clinical context is frequently challenged on pre-payment review.

06Does the XXX global period affect how I bill follow-up visits?

No. The XXX global means no global package applies at all — there is no bundled pre- or post-service period. Each E&M or follow-up visit associated with finger imaging bills independently on its own date of service without needing modifier 24 or 25 to unbundle.

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 finger(s) examined, laterality, number of views obtained, and the clinical indication from dictation — populating the fields most likely to trigger a medical necessity denial or NCCI edit conflict when left vague. This prevents the most common rejection on 73140: a missing or implicit laterality modifier that causes downstream bundling issues when 73130 is billed the same day.

See how Mira captures CPT 73140 documentation