Imaging · Hip

Radiologic examination of the hip joint using contrast material, including radiological supervision and interpretation

Verified May 8, 2026 · 5 sources ↓

Medicare: $133.27
Total RVUs: 3.99
Global, days
Region: Hip

Drawn from CMSAAPCCgsmedicare

Documentation requirements

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

Source · Editorial brief grounded in 5 cited references ↓

Indication for contrast arthrography — why plain films were inadequate or insufficient
Physician order specifying contrast hip arthrography
Formal written interpretation report signed by supervising physician
Documentation of contrast agent used, injection site, and fluoroscopic guidance if applicable
For IDTF billing: credentials of supervising physician (board-certified radiologist or orthopedic surgeon) on file

Applicable modifiers

Modifiers commonly billed with this code.

Source · AMA CPT modifier descriptors · CMS NCCI Policy Manual

26 Professional component LT Left side RT Right side 52 Reduced services

What this code covers

Source · Editorial summary grounded in 5 cited references ↓

CPT 73525 covers a contrast-enhanced hip arthrography — fluoroscopically guided injection of contrast into the hip joint followed by radiographic imaging, with supervision and interpretation included in the code. It is used to evaluate joint integrity, labral pathology, loose bodies, or implant positioning when standard plain films are insufficient.

Because 73525 bundles both the technical imaging component and the professional interpretation, modifier 26 applies when the interpreting physician does not own or operate the imaging equipment. At an IDTF, CMS requires the supervising physician to be a board-certified radiologist or orthopedic surgeon; the technical component may be performed by a general radiographer or medical physicist.

The code carries a XXX global period, meaning standard surgical global rules do not apply — each service stands alone. It is billed in outpatient hospital and office settings; no ASC facility payment rate is established. When 73525 is performed as a precursor to an interventional hip procedure in the same session, verify NCCI PTP edits before reporting both codes — radiologic guidance integral to a separately reported procedure cannot be billed again under 73525.

RVU & reimbursement

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

Source · CMS Physician Fee Schedule, RVU26A · January 2026

Work RVU	0.53
Practice expense RVU	3.41
Malpractice RVU	0.05
Total RVU	3.99
Medicare national rate	$133.27
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	$133.27
HOPD (APC 5572) Hospital outpatient department	$356.43

Common denial reasons

The recurring reasons claims for CPT 73525 get rejected.

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

Modifier 26 missing when physician interprets but does not own the imaging equipment
Bundling conflict when 73525 is billed alongside a same-session interventional procedure that already includes radiologic guidance
Lack of documented medical necessity — no explanation of why contrast arthrography was required over standard hip radiographs
IDTF credentialing deficiency — supervising physician not documented as board-certified radiologist or orthopedic surgeon

Frequently asked questions

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

01Does 73525 include both the technical and professional components?

Yes. 73525 is a complete code bundling both the technical component (equipment, film, technologist) and the professional interpretation. Append modifier 26 when the interpreting physician bills separately from the facility owning the equipment — for example, a radiologist reading images acquired at a hospital outpatient department.

02Can 73525 be billed same-day with the hip injection procedure code (e.g., 27093)?

27093 (hip arthrography with contrast, including injection) and 73525 are frequently reported together — 27093 covers the injection and fluoroscopic guidance, 73525 covers the radiologic supervision and interpretation. Check current NCCI PTP edits between this pair before billing; modifier indicators can change between edit cycles.

03What modifier is needed when the patient has bilateral hip arthrography?

Append LT and RT to separate line items when both hips are imaged in the same session. Do not use modifier 50 for bilateral imaging studies — laterality modifiers are the correct approach for diagnostic radiology.

04Who qualifies to supervise 73525 at an IDTF?

CMS requires a board-certified radiologist or orthopedic surgeon as the supervising physician. The technical work can be performed by a general radiographer or medical physicist. Keep credentialing documentation on file — auditors pull it.

05Is there an ASC facility payment for 73525?

No. CMS has not established an ASC facility payment rate for 73525. The code is payable in the office and HOPD settings under the 2026 Physician Fee Schedule and OPPS, respectively.

06What is the global period for 73525?

XXX — no global period applies. Each instance of 73525 is billed independently, so the standard preoperative and postoperative bundling rules that govern surgical codes do not restrict this code.

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 clinical indication for contrast arthrography, the specific hip laterality, the supervising physician's credentials, and the formal interpretation findings from dictation. This prevents the two most common 73525 denials: missing modifier 26 when the physician interprets off-site, and undocumented medical necessity when plain films preceded the study.

See how Mira captures CPT 73525 documentation