Imaging · Hip

Single-view X-ray of one hip, including the pelvis when clinically indicated — the minimum imaging study in the hip radiograph family.

Verified May 8, 2026 · 6 sources ↓

Medicare: $33.73
Total RVUs: 1.01
Global, days
Region: Hip

Drawn from CMSAAPCPayerprice

Documentation requirements

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

Source · Editorial brief grounded in 6 cited references ↓

Specify laterality (left or right hip) in the order and the report
Clinical indication linking the imaging to a diagnosis or symptom (e.g., hip pain, suspected fracture, dislocation evaluation)
Number of views obtained — one view must be documented to support 73501 vs. a higher-view code
Whether the pelvis was included in the series and why if captured
Physician interpretation documented separately from the technologist's acquisition note when billing modifier 26
Ordering provider information required for facility claims in hospital outpatient settings

Applicable modifiers

Modifiers commonly billed with this code.

Source · AMA CPT modifier descriptors · CMS NCCI Policy Manual

26 Professional component 52 Reduced services 59 Distinct service 76 Repeat, same physician 77 Repeat, another physician LT Left side RT Right side

What this code covers

Source · Editorial summary grounded in 6 cited references ↓

73501 covers a unilateral hip radiograph limited to one view, with the pelvis imaged when the clinical situation calls for it. It is the entry point in the hip X-ray code family, which scales by view count (73502 for 2–3 views, 73503 for 4+ views) and laterality (73521–73523 for bilateral). Use the code that most accurately reflects the number of views actually obtained — NCCI policy explicitly prohibits unbundling a multi-view series into multiple single-view codes to inflate payment.

The code carries a global period of XXX, meaning no surgical global applies and the service is billable without global-period restrictions. Facility billing splits into professional component (modifier 26, radiologist interpretation) and technical component (modifier TC, facility equipment and staff). Orthopedic surgeons billing from an office where they own the equipment bill the full code without either modifier. In hospital outpatient settings, the facility bills the technical component separately from the physician's professional component.

The hip X-ray code family was restructured effective January 1, 2016, when legacy code 73500 was deleted and replaced by 73501. References to 73500 in older documentation, payer contracts, or fee schedules should be mapped to 73501. For bilateral studies, 73521–73523 are the correct codes — billing 73501 twice with LT/RT modifiers is not the preferred approach and payer acceptance varies; check individual payer policy before doing so.

RVU & reimbursement

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

Source · CMS Physician Fee Schedule, RVU26A · January 2026

Work RVU	0.18
Practice expense RVU	0.81
Malpractice RVU	0.02
Total RVU	1.01
Medicare national rate	$33.73
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	$33.73
HOPD (APC 5521) Hospital outpatient department	$88.91

Common denial reasons

The recurring reasons claims for CPT 73501 get rejected.

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

Wrong code family — billing 73501 twice with LT/RT instead of the bilateral codes 73521–73523 when both hips are imaged in the same session
Unbundling — billing 73501 multiple times to account for additional views instead of stepping up to 73502 or 73503
Missing or mismatched diagnosis code — payer edits require an ICD-10 code consistent with a need for limited hip imaging
Component billing error — billing the global code in a hospital outpatient setting where only the professional or technical component is appropriate
Duplicate claim — repeat imaging on the same date without modifier 76 or 77 to indicate the repeat was medically necessary

Frequently asked questions

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

01When should I bill 73501 vs. 73502 or 73503?

Bill based on the number of views actually obtained. One view = 73501. Two or three views = 73502. Four or more views = 73503. Do not bill multiple 73501 codes to cover additional views — that is unbundling and will be denied or recouped on audit.

02Can I bill 73501 twice with LT and RT for a bilateral hip study?

Technically possible, but not preferred. The bilateral hip codes (73521–73523) are the correct codes for same-session bilateral studies. Some payers accept 73501-LT and 73501-RT; others require the bilateral codes. Verify each payer's policy before using the bilateral code approach — a blanket LT/RT approach will fail on certain commercial contracts.

03What modifier do I use when the radiologist interprets but doesn't own the equipment?

Modifier 26 for the professional component (interpretation only). The facility bills the technical component separately. In a freestanding office where the orthopedist owns the equipment and employs the tech, bill the global code with no modifier.

04Is 73501 subject to any NCCI bundles I should watch for?

Yes. CMS NCCI policy states that radiologic codes integral to another procedure are bundled into that procedure. If you're billing 73501 same-session with an injection or other hip procedure where imaging is part of the procedure, expect a bundle edit. Use modifier 59 only if the X-ray was genuinely separate and unrelated to the primary procedure — not just to bypass the edit.

05The order says 'hip X-ray' without specifying how many views. What do I bill?

Bill for the number of views actually documented in the radiology report, not the order. If the tech obtained two views because the clinical situation warranted it, bill 73502. Billing 73501 when two views were taken understates the service. Billing 73502 when only one is documented is upcoding.

06Was there a predecessor code to 73501?

Yes. CPT code 73500 was deleted effective January 1, 2016, and 73501 replaced it as part of the restructured hip X-ray family. Any payer fee schedule or contract still referencing 73500 should be updated to 73501.

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 laterality, clinical indication, and view count directly from the ordering physician's dictation or the radiologist's interpretation note. This prevents the most common 73501 denial — a claim submitted without explicit laterality or with a view count that contradicts the code billed. When the scribe logs one view of the right hip for right hip pain post-fall, the coder has everything needed to defend 73501-RT without a rework cycle.

See how Mira captures CPT 73501 documentation