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    v1.0.30
    OpenPayerBilling CodesDiagnostic Radiology (Diagnostic Imaging) Procedures of the ChestCPT cpt-71045-chest-radiograph-single-view
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    CPT 71045: Chest Radiologic Examination, Single View

    Medicare pays $18 and commercial payers pay $68 on average nationally for this procedure.

    CPT code 71045 describes a single-view radiologic examination of the chest performed to assess the lungs, heart silhouette, pleura, and adjacent thoracic structures; this diagnostic imaging service is typically provided as a plain radiograph in an outpatient radiology department, emergency department, or inpatient radiology unit for evaluation of acute or chronic chest symptoms.

    For related coverage guidance, see recent payer policy updates: Automated Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring for Diagnosis of Hypertension in Patients with Elevated Office Blood Pressure, Cardiology - Ivabradine, Cardiac Computed Tomography (CCT)/Coronary Computed Tomographic Angiography (CCTA).

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    National Reimbursement Benchmarks

    Nationally, Medicare’s average allowed amount of $17.6 sits well below the BUCA commercial average of $68.1, indicating a substantial gap between public and this blended commercial benchmark for CPT 71045. Blue Cross Blue Shield’s mean of $101.1 and Cigna’s mean of $25.6 fall on different sides of BUCA’s level, while Aetna and UnitedHealth Group cluster nearer the lower commercial/mid range. This spread highlights a large separation between Medicare and higher commercial payers in mean allowed rates.

    Dispersion measured as the interquartile spread (P75 minus P25) is widest for Blue Cross Blue Shield at $30.4 (P75 $118.8 minus P25 $85.4) and for BUCA at $28.0 (P75 $81.4 minus P25 $54.0), reflecting greater variability among negotiated commercial rates. The tightest interquartile ranges are Aetna at $22.0 and UnitedHealth Group at $16.1, with Cigna’s spread at $20.0; Medicare’s IQR is $15.0, indicating relatively concentrated locality variation compared with several commercial payers.

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    National Payer Mean Reimbursement Rates

    State Reimbursement Rates

    State: Alaska1 / 51

    Rate by payer

    Clinical & Coding Specifications

    Clinical Context

    A 58-year-old patient presents to the emergency department with acute onset chest pain and shortness of breath. The triage nurse documents vitals and the clinician orders an immediate single-view chest radiograph to evaluate for acute cardiopulmonary processes. The radiology technologist obtains a single frontal view (anteroposterior or posteroanterior depending on patient ability). The image is transmitted to the radiologist for interpretation to assess for pneumothorax, focal consolidation suggestive of pneumonia, cardiomediastinal silhouette enlargement, or other abnormal lung findings. The radiology report is routed to the ordering clinician for correlation with clinical exam and laboratory data. Typical workflow includes image acquisition in the hospital radiology department or emergency department radiography suite, technologist quality check, radiologist read, and documentation in the electronic health record linked to billing using 71045 for a single-view chest radiograph.

    Related CPT Codes

    CPT CodeDescriptionRelationship to This Procedure
    71046Radiologic examination, chest; 2 viewsA two-view chest radiograph often follows or replaces 71045 when additional views are clinically indicated for better evaluation

    Related Modifiers

    10 rows

    ModifierDescriptionWhen to Use
    26Modifier 26 (Professional Component) identifies and bills only the professional portion of a split service — the physician’s interpretation, report, and medical judgment — when the technical…- Use CPT Modifier -26 when you are billing only the professional component (PC) of a split‑bill eligible service—i.e., you performed the physician interpretation, medical judgment and prepared a…
    25CPT modifier 25 indicates that on the same day as another procedure or service, the same physician or other qualified health care professional provided a significant, separately identifiable…- When to apply: Use modifier 25 only on an E/M code to indicate the same provider delivered a significant, separately identifiable E/M service on the same day as another procedure or service — i.e.,…
    50Modifier –50 (Bilateral Procedure) is appended to a CPT code when an identical procedure is performed on paired anatomical structures during the same operative session. The AMA states to add…- Use modifier -50 when the same CPT surgical, diagnostic, or radiology procedure is performed on paired anatomical structures (both sides of the body) during the same operative/session by the same…
    52Modifier ‑52 (Reduced Services) indicates that a service or procedure was partially reduced or omitted at the provider’s discretion, allowing reporting of the basic procedure number with a qualifier…- Use modifier -52 when a physician or qualified health professional electively reduces or omits part of a procedure or service (for example, performing fewer required views or omitting a portion of…
    53Modifier 53 (Discontinued Procedure) signals that a surgical or diagnostic service was begun by the physician but terminated because of extenuating circumstances that threatened the patient’s…- Use modifier -53 when a physician/qualified healthcare professional has started a surgical or diagnostic procedure (e.g., anesthesia administered, incision or scope insertion) and then discontinues…
    59Modifier 59 indicates a distinct procedural service when two procedures that are not normally billed together are clinically and procedurally separate. The CPT definition (as reiterated by CMS)…- Use modifier -59 to report a distinct procedural service when documentation supports that the procedure reported is not normally billed together with another service on the same day because of a…
    91Modifier 91 — “Repeat Clinical Diagnostic Laboratory Test” — is appended when the exact same CPT laboratory test is performed more than once for the same patient on the same day because serial,…- Use modifier 91 when the exact same CPT laboratory test is performed more than once on the same patient on the same date because serial or repeated testing is medically necessary to monitor…
    76Modifier -76, Repeat Procedure or Service by Same Physician or Other Qualified Health Care Professional, is appended when the same provider performs an identical, medically necessary procedure or…- Use modifier -76 when the same physician or other qualified health care professional performs an identical procedure or service a second (or subsequent) time on the same date of service and the…
    77Modifier 77 indicates that a previously performed procedure or service was legitimately repeated by a different physician or other qualified health care professional. The AMA’s CPT definition…- Use modifier 77 when a basic procedure or service already performed is repeated by a different physician or other qualified health care professional (for example, a second provider independently…
    90Modifier ‑90 (Reference/Outside Laboratory) indicates that a laboratory test was performed by an entity other than the treating or reporting provider. The American Medical Association defines…- Use CPT modifier -90 when a laboratory test is performed by an outside/reference laboratory (an entity other than the treating or reporting physician or qualified professional) and the claim needs…

    Related Provider Taxonomies

    8 rows

    Taxonomy Code
    344600000X
    171R00000X
    367A00000X
    1835P1300X
    2278P1006X
    204D00000X
    314000000X
    246RP1900X

    Related ICD-10-CM Codes

    5 rows

    ICD-10-CM CodeDescription
    J44.9Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, unspecified
    R07.9Chest pain, unspecified
    R06.02Shortness of breath
    R91.8Other nonspecific abnormal finding of lung field
    J18.9Pneumonia, unspecified organism

    Related Payer Policy Updates

    Specialty: Cardiology1 / 3

    10 rows

    PolicyPayerEffective Date
    Automated Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring for Diagnosis of Hypertension in Patients with Elevated Office Blood PressureBluecross Idaho2026-11-01
    Cardiology - IvabradineCigna2026-10-15
    Cardiac Computed Tomography (CCT)/Coronary Computed Tomographic Angiography (CCTA)univerahealthcare2026-10-15
    Percutaneous Ventricular Assist DeviceUnitedHealthcare2026-10-01
    Cardiovascular Disease Risk AssessmentOscar Health2026-10-01
    Biomarkers for Myocardial Infarction and Chronic Heart FailureOscar Health2026-10-01
    Multiple Procedure Payment Reduction for Diagnostic Cardiovascular ProceduresBlue Cross Blue Shield - Maine2026-10-01
    Left Atrial Appendage Closure Devicesexcellus_health_plan_inc2026-09-17
    Left Atrial Appendage Closure Devicesuniverahealthcare2026-09-17
    Cardiac Omnibus CodesCigna2026-09-15

    Related Codes

    CPT-71046-CHEST-RADIOGRAPH-MULTI-VIEW

    CPT 71046: Chest Radiologic Exam, Minimum Two Views

    CPT-71047-CHEST-RADIOGRAPH-THREE-VIEWS

    CPT 71047: Chest Radiograph, Minimum Three Views

    CPT-71048-CHEST-RADIOGRAPHY-FOUR-VIEWS

    CPT 71048: Chest Radiography, Minimum Four Views

    CPT-71100-TWO-VIEW-UNILATERAL-RIB-RADIOGRAPH

    CPT 71100: Two-View Unilateral Radiographs of Ribs

    CPT-71101-THREE-VIEW-UNILATERAL-RIBS-STUDY-PA-CHEST

    CPT 71101: Three-View Unilateral Rib Radiographic Study

    CPT-71110-THREE-VIEW-BILATERAL-RIB-RADIOGRAPHS

    CPT 71110: Three-View Bilateral Rib Radiographs

    CPT-71111-RIBS-RADIOLOGICAL-STUDY-FOUR-VIEWS-CHEST-PA

    CPT 71111: Radiologic Study of Ribs with Chest View

    CPT-71120-STERNUM-TWO-VIEW-RADIOGRAPH

    CPT 71120: Two-View Radiographic Study of Sternum

    CPT-71130-STERNOCLAVICULAR-JOINT-RADIOGRAPHIC-THREE-VIEWS

    CPT 71130: Sternoclavicular Joint Radiography, Minimum Three Views

    CPT-71250-CT-THORAX-WITHOUT-CONTRAST

    CPT 71250: CT Thorax without Contrast

    Showing 1–10 of 18

    Frequently Asked Questions

    References

    1. 1.CPT® Codes and Descriptions. AAPC. Retrieved Aug 11, 2026.Maintains the CPT code set's official descriptions and guidelines, licensed from the American Medical Association, used as the definitional source for CPT codes on this page.
    2. 2.HCPCS Quarterly Update. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Retrieved Aug 11, 2026.CMS's quarterly release of HCPCS Level II codes and short/long descriptors, the source for HCPCS code definitions and update history.
    3. 3.ICD-10-CM Full Code List. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Retrieved Aug 11, 2026.CMS's complete ICD-10-CM diagnosis code list, used to cross-reference diagnosis codes associated with this procedure or service.
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    Trek Health ingests and normalizes Transparency in Coverage data and payer policy updates to give provider organizations a clear view of how commercial reimbursement behaves across markets, payers, and services. Our platform transforms raw payer disclosures into structured intelligence that supports contract evaluation, payer negotiations, and service line strategy. By combining market benchmarks with ongoing policy visibility, Trek helps teams identify variability, risk, and opportunity in commercial reimbursement. The result is faster insight, stronger negotiating positions, and more informed financial decisions.

    71047
    Radiologic examination, chest; 3 views
    Used when three views are required for more comprehensive assessment of trauma or complex pathology
    71048Radiologic examination, chest; 4 or more viewsApplied for extensive imaging needs beyond routine chest radiographs when multiple projections are needed
    74018Radiologic examination, abdomen; 1 viewCommonly ordered alongside chest radiograph in systemic complaints or trauma to evaluate chest and abdomen as part of initial workup