Imaging · Hip

Bilateral hip X-ray examination capturing two radiographic views of both hips, including the pelvis when performed.

Verified May 8, 2026 · 5 sources ↓

Medicare: $41.75
Total RVUs: 1.25
Global, days
Region: Hip

Drawn from CMSKzanowAAPC

Documentation requirements

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

Source · Editorial brief grounded in 5 cited references ↓

Radiology order specifying bilateral hips and number of views requested
Medical necessity diagnosis tied to both hips (e.g., bilateral hip pain, osteoarthritis, suspected fracture)
Operative or clinical note identifying which views were acquired (AP, lateral, frog-leg, etc.) and whether a pelvis view was included
Interpretation report documenting findings for both hips with the radiologist's or ordering provider's signature
Patient demographics and site of service documentation for facility vs. professional component split billing

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

What this code covers

Source · Editorial summary grounded in 5 cited references ↓

73521 covers a bilateral hip radiograph series at minimum two views — one for each hip, both sides imaged in the same session. The code sits in the 73501–73523 hip series, where view count and laterality drive code selection. Two views bilateral = 73521. Three to four views bilateral = 73522. Minimum five views bilateral with pelvis = 73523. Bill the most comprehensive single code that describes what was actually performed; stacking lower codes to reach the same view count is an NCCI violation.

The AP pelvis view counts as a view within the hip series. Per AMA Clinical Examples in Radiology guidance (fall 2015 as cited by KZA), an AP pelvis plus two individual hip views each side (AP and lateral) totals five views and maps to 73523, not 73521. Misreading the pelvis view as incidental and undercoding to 73521 is a common billing error that leaves money on the table and can also trigger medical necessity questions if the order specified five views.

Modifier 26 applies when the radiologist bills only for interpretation; the facility or imaging center bills the technical component separately. 73521 carries a global period of XXX (no global surgical package), so standard post-op bundling rules do not apply. This code appears across Diagnostic Radiology, Orthopedic Surgery, and Portable X-Ray Supplier billing profiles under the CMS Physician Fee Schedule 2026.

RVU & reimbursement

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

Source · CMS Physician Fee Schedule, RVU26A · January 2026

Work RVU	0.21
Practice expense RVU	1.02
Malpractice RVU	0.02
Total RVU	1.25
Medicare national rate	$41.75
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	$41.75
HOPD (APC 5522) Hospital outpatient department	$106.81

Common denial reasons

The recurring reasons claims for CPT 73521 get rejected.

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

Upcoding or downcoding within the 73501–73523 series when actual view count doesn't match the billed code
Bilateral code billed with modifier 50, which is redundant — 73521 is already inherently bilateral
Missing or non-specific diagnosis code that doesn't support medical necessity for bilateral imaging
Unbundling: billing 73501-LT plus 73501-RT instead of the appropriate bilateral code
Pelvis view miscounted or ignored, leading to selection of 73521 when 73522 or 73523 is correct

Frequently asked questions

Source · Generated from the editorial pipeline, verified against 5 cited references ↓

01Does modifier 50 apply to 73521?

No. 73521 is already a bilateral code by definition. Appending modifier 50 is redundant and will likely trigger a rejection or duplicate-service denial. Bill 73521 once without a laterality or bilateral modifier.

02Does an AP pelvis view count as one of the views when selecting among 73521, 73522, and 73523?

Yes. Per AMA Clinical Examples in Radiology guidance, an AP pelvis view counts toward the total view count. AP pelvis plus two individual views of each hip (AP and lateral) equals five total views, which maps to 73523, not 73521.

03Can I bill 73501-LT and 73501-RT instead of 73521?

No. NCCI policy requires reporting the most comprehensive single code for a bilateral session. Unbundling unilateral hip codes to substitute for the correct bilateral code is an NCCI violation and a common audit target.

04When should modifier 26 be used with 73521?

Append modifier 26 when billing only the professional component — typically when a radiologist or orthopedic surgeon interprets the study but did not own the equipment or supervise the acquisition. The facility or imaging center bills the technical component separately.

05What if only one hip was ultimately imaged during the session ordered as bilateral?

Bill a unilateral hip code (73501 or 73502 depending on view count) with modifier 52 if the bilateral study was ordered but only one side could be completed. Document the clinical reason in the report.

06Is 73521 payable in the office setting vs. HOPD?

Yes, but reimbursement differs by site of service. The HOPD rate is set under CMS Physician Fee Schedule 2026 — see the site-of-service comparison table on this page. In a freestanding office, the non-facility rate applies, which typically covers both professional and technical components in a single payment when billed globally.

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 exact views obtained (AP, lateral, frog-leg), whether an AP pelvis view was included, and the laterality from the dictated radiology report. That detail locks in the correct code from the 73501–73523 series at the point of documentation — preventing the most common audit flag on hip imaging: a view count that doesn't match the billed code.

See how Mira captures CPT 73521 documentation