Radiologic examination of the ankle joint, two views — typically AP and lateral — used to evaluate for fracture, dislocation, or other bony pathology.

Verified May 8, 2026 · 6 sources ↓

Medicare: $32.40
Total RVUs: 0.97
Global, days
Region: Foot & ankle

Drawn from CMSAthelasAAPCMdclarity

Documentation requirements

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

Source · Editorial brief grounded in 6 cited references ↓

Number of views taken (must confirm exactly two views to support 73600 over 73610)
Laterality documented — left, right, or bilateral — matching any LT/RT/50 modifier billed
Specific clinical indication with symptom, mechanism, or diagnosis (e.g., acute inversion injury, swelling, rule-out fracture)
Imaging modality confirmed as digital radiography; if film-based, modifier FX must be appended for Medicare
Interpreting provider identified separately from the ordering provider when billing modifier 26 for professional component only
Views named in the report (e.g., AP and lateral) — audit teams flag reports that do not specify which projections were obtained

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 ↓

73600 covers a two-view ankle X-ray. It sits one step below 73610, which requires a minimum of three views (AP, lateral, and mortise). If you took three or more views, bill 73610 — billing 73600 for a complete series is a downcoding risk and misrepresents the service. If you took only two views and that was clinically appropriate, 73600 is correct.

The code has a PC/TC split. Ortho practices billing globally (owning both the equipment and the read) bill 73600 without a modifier. Radiologists interpreting films they didn't technically produce append modifier 26. Hospital outpatient and portable X-ray suppliers billing only the technical component append TC. If both ankles are imaged, bill 73600 with modifier 50 or bill two units with LT/RT — payer preference varies, so check contracts.

For Medicare, film-based X-rays require modifier FX, which triggers a payment reduction. Digital radiography avoids that penalty. Document the number of views taken and the specific clinical indication; Medicare and most commercial payers require medical necessity justification, and a note that just says 'ankle pain' without laterality or mechanism invites a denial.

RVU & reimbursement

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

Source · CMS Physician Fee Schedule, RVU26A · January 2026

Work RVU	0.16
Practice expense RVU	0.79
Malpractice RVU	0.02
Total RVU	0.97
Medicare national rate	$32.40
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	$32.40
HOPD (APC 5521) Hospital outpatient department	$88.91

Common denial reasons

The recurring reasons claims for CPT 73600 get rejected.

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

73610 billed when only two views were taken, or 73600 billed when three or more views were documented — view count mismatch between report and code
Missing or ambiguous laterality when LT, RT, or modifier 50 is appended — payer rejects if modifier and report don't align
Lack of documented medical necessity — 'ankle X-ray' without a diagnosis, symptom, or clinical reason on the claim
Frequency denials when 73600 is billed same-day with 73610 for the same ankle without a modifier 59 or XS to distinguish the service
Film-based X-ray submitted to Medicare without modifier FX, triggering an edit and payment reduction or rejection
Global bill submitted by a practice that only performed the technical component, or modifier 26/TC mismatch with the billing entity

Frequently asked questions

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

01What is the difference between 73600 and 73610?

View count. 73600 is for two-view ankle X-rays; 73610 requires a minimum of three views, typically AP, lateral, and mortise. Bill the code that matches what was actually performed and documented — upcoding to 73610 when only two views were taken is an audit flag.

02Do I need a modifier when billing 73600 in an orthopedic office?

Only if you're splitting the technical and professional components or billing bilaterally. If your practice owns the equipment and the physician reads the film, bill globally with no modifier. If a radiologist separately interprets the image, that radiologist bills 73600-26. The hospital or facility owning the equipment bills TC.

03How do I bill 73600 when both ankles are imaged?

Append modifier 50 for bilateral, or bill two line items with LT and RT. Payer preference varies — Medicare generally accepts modifier 50 on a single line, but some commercial payers want two lines. Confirm with your payer's billing guidelines before defaulting to one method.

04Can I bill 73600 and an E/M code on the same day?

Yes. 73600 carries a XXX global period, so global surgery bundling rules don't apply. If the E/M and the X-ray are provided at the same encounter, bill both. No modifier 25 is required on the E/M for a diagnostic imaging code — modifier 25 applies when a procedure with a global period is billed same-day as an E/M.

05What happens if I bill 73600 for a film-based X-ray to Medicare?

You must append modifier FX. CMS mandates this for X-rays taken on film rather than digitally, and it triggers a payment reduction. Missing FX on a film-based study can result in a claim edit or reduced payment. Digital radiography avoids the penalty entirely.

06When would modifier 59 or XS be needed with 73600?

If you're billing 73600 alongside another lower extremity imaging code on the same date — for example, a same-day foot X-ray (73630) — and NCCI edits bundle them, modifier 59 or XS distinguishes the ankle study as a separate, distinct service. Don't append reflexively; confirm an actual NCCI edit exists before using it.

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 ankle views obtained, the named projections (e.g., AP and lateral), laterality, and the clinical indication from the provider's dictation. That prevents the most common 73600 denial: a claim for two views when the operative report describes three, or a missing laterality modifier that doesn't match the narrative.

See how Mira captures CPT 73600 documentation