Radiologic examination of the foot, two views — used to evaluate bone and joint abnormalities including fractures, arthritis, and structural deformities.

Verified May 8, 2026 · 5 sources ↓

Medicare: $28.72
Total RVUs: 0.86
Global, days
Region: Foot & ankle

Drawn from CMSAAPCBedrockbillingEmedny

Documentation requirements

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

Source · Editorial brief grounded in 5 cited references ↓

Number of views obtained — must confirm at least two distinct projections to support 73620 over a single-view study
Clinical indication documented in the order and report (fracture, arthritis, deformity, pain, etc.)
Laterality specified — left, right, or bilateral — in both the order and the radiology report
Radiologist or interpreting provider's signed report with findings and impression
If billing 26 modifier, the interpretation must be a formal written report, not just a verbal read
For bilateral exams, documentation must confirm both feet were imaged in the same session

Applicable modifiers

Modifiers commonly billed with this code.

Source · AMA CPT modifier descriptors · CMS NCCI Policy Manual

26 Professional component 50 Bilateral procedure 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 5 cited references ↓

73620 covers a two-view radiologic examination of the foot. It sits in a clear progression: 73620 for two views, 73630 for three or more views. If the clinical picture warrants a complete foot series, step up to 73630 — don't bill 73620 and add supplemental toe or calcaneus codes to compensate.

The NCCI Policy Manual is explicit: because the foot anatomically includes the toes and calcaneus, 73630 already subsumes codes for those structures (73650, 73660). That same logic applies to 73620 — you cannot unbundle a toe x-ray (73660) or calcaneal series (73650) and bill it alongside a same-day same-foot foot x-ray. Payers will deny or recoup the component codes.

For bilateral imaging, modifier 50 is the correct flag. Use modifier 26 when billing the professional read separately from the technical acquisition — common when radiologists interpret films taken in an orthopedic or podiatric office. The TC modifier covers the technical component only. If a repeat study is ordered the same day by the same provider, append modifier 76; by a different provider, use 77.

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	0.68
Malpractice RVU	0.02
Total RVU	0.86
Medicare national rate	$28.72
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	$28.72
HOPD (APC 5521) Hospital outpatient department	$88.91

Common denial reasons

The recurring reasons claims for CPT 73620 get rejected.

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

View count mismatch — claim says 73620 but operative note or report documents only one view, triggering a downcode or denial
Unbundling denial when 73660 or 73650 is billed same-day same-foot alongside 73620 — NCCI edits prohibit this
Missing laterality modifier when payer requires LT or RT for unilateral imaging
Lack of a formal written interpretation when billing modifier 26 — verbal reads don't satisfy the professional component requirement
Duplicate claim flags when modifier 76 or 77 is omitted on a same-day repeat study

Frequently asked questions

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

01What's the difference between 73620 and 73630?

73620 is for a two-view foot x-ray. 73630 requires a minimum of three views and is the code for a complete foot series. If you obtained three or more projections, bill 73630 — 73620 will underrepresent the work and underpay.

02Can I bill 73660 for toe views on the same day as 73620 for the same foot?

No. NCCI edits bundle toe and calcaneal x-ray codes into the foot x-ray codes because the foot anatomically includes those structures. Billing 73660 or 73650 alongside 73620 for the same foot on the same date will trigger a denial.

03Do I need a laterality modifier on 73620?

Most payers require LT or RT for unilateral foot x-rays. Omitting laterality is a common clean-claim failure. Use modifier 50 if you imaged both feet in the same session.

04How do I bill 73620 when the radiologist reads films taken in my office?

The practice that owns the equipment bills the technical component with modifier TC. The radiologist or interpreting physician bills the professional component with modifier 26. If one entity performed both, bill the global code with no modifier — but only if you own the equipment and employ or contract the interpreter.

05A patient came back the same day for repeat foot films. What modifier applies?

Append modifier 76 if the same provider orders and interprets the repeat study. Use modifier 77 if a different provider is involved. Without one of these modifiers, the second claim will hit as a duplicate.

06Is 73620 subject to a global period?

No. 73620 carries an XXX global period indicator, meaning the global period concept does not apply. Each imaging encounter is billed independently.

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 views taken, the laterality of the foot imaged, and the clinical indication driving the order — directly from provider dictation. That prevents the most common 73620 denial: a claim for two views when only one view is documented, or a missing LT/RT flag that stalls adjudication. When a repeat study is dictated, the scribe flags the need for modifier 76 or 77 before the claim drops.

See how Mira captures CPT 73620 documentation