Loading...

    Explore
    • Policy Monitoring
    • Live Policy Feed
    • Billing Codes
    • NPI Medicare & Medicaid
    • Healthcare Providers
    • Health Insurance Payers
    • States
    • Service Lines
    • Taxonomy Codes
    Lookup tools
    • Billing Code Lookup
    • CPT Modifier Lookup
    • Provider Taxonomy Code Lookup
    • Healthcare Provider & Facility Lookup
    • Health Insurance Payer Lookup
    • Payer Contact Directory

    Policy & Benchmark Tools

    • Prior Authorization Lookup
    • Coverage Criteria Lookup
    • Timely Filing Lookup
    • Billing Code Reimbursement Rates
    • Payer Comparison Dashboard
    • Facility Comparison Dashboard
    • All tools

    Company

    • About OpenPayer
    • Data Sources
    • Trek Health
    OpenPayerby Trek Health
    LinkedInYouTube

    © 2026 Trek Health. All rights reserved.

    OpenPayer is built and maintained by Trek Health.

    v1.0.30
    OpenPayerBilling CodesDiagnostic Radiology (Diagnostic Imaging) Procedures of the Lower ExtremitiesCPT cpt-73560-knee-xray-one-or-two-views
    Ask Trek AI about this page

    CPT 73560: Knee X‑Ray, One or Two Views

    Medicare pays $24 on average nationally for this procedure.

    CPT code 73560 describes a diagnostic radiology procedure consisting of one or two X‑ray views of the knee to evaluate for fracture, effusion, or causes of knee pain; service type: diagnostic musculoskeletal radiography; typical site of service: outpatient radiology department, urgent care, emergency department, or outpatient imaging center.

    For related coverage guidance, see recent payer policy updates: Orthopedic Joint Procedures of the Knee for Managed Medicaid (MMC), Health and Recovery Plan (HARP), Child Health Plus (CHP), and Essential Plan (EP) Members, Autologous Chondrocyte Transplantation or Implantation Corporate Medical Policy, Autologous Platelet-Derived Growth Factors (Platelet-Rich Plasma [PRP]).

    Customize your policy alerts

    Sign up for cpt 73560 policy alerts

    Get alerted when payer policies referencing 73560 are released or updated.

    Monitor payer policy activity

    Receive email alerts as soon as relevant payer policies are published or updated.

    Table of contents

    Progress1 / 7

    Explore openpayer tools

    • Billing CodesCPT, HCPCS, DRG & more
    • Reimbursement RatesCommercial vs. Medicare rate reports
    • Facility ComparisonBeds, revenue & payer mix
    • ProvidersHospitals & facilities
    • PayersPlans & market footprint
    • Taxonomy CodesNUCC specialty codes
    • ModifiersCPT modifiers & usage
    • Prior AuthorizationPA policies by payer & drug
    • Timely FilingFiling deadlines by payer
    • Coverage CriteriaMedical necessity by payer
    • Payer ContactsClaims, PA & appeals contacts
    View all tools

    Clinical & Coding Specifications

    Clinical Context

    A 28-year-old male presents to an urgent care clinic after twisting his right knee while playing soccer. He reports immediate pain, localized swelling, and difficulty bearing weight. The clinician performs a focused history and physical exam, documents point tenderness over the lateral joint line and mild effusion, and orders plain radiographs to evaluate for acute fracture or other bony abnormality. The radiology technologist obtains one or two views of the right knee per the clinician’s request. Images are transmitted to the interpreting provider (radiologist or qualified clinician) who documents findings in the medical record and issues a report. The ordering clinician uses the radiology report to determine next steps (e.g., immobilization, referral to orthopedics, MRI if soft-tissue injury suspected). Typical site of service is an urgent care clinic, emergency department, outpatient radiology facility, or hospital imaging department. Service type: diagnostic radiology — limited knee radiographic examination using one or two views documented under 73560.

    Related CPT Codes

    CPT CodeDescriptionRelationship to This Procedure
    73560Radiologic examination, knee; 1 or 2 viewsPrimary limited knee radiograph procedure to detect fracture, dislocation, or other bony abnormality.
    73562Radiologic examination, knee; 3 viewsPerformed when additional orthogonal or special views are required beyond 73560.
    73564Radiologic examination, knee; full series 4 or more viewsUsed when a comprehensive series is needed for detailed evaluation.
    73030Radiologic examination, humerus, completeExample of an upper-extremity plain film procedure; not directly related but similar workflow (listed for common imaging grouping).
    73590Radiologic examination, knee, follow-up; 1 or 2 viewsUsed for follow-up imaging of the knee after initial acute evaluation, often in clinic or trauma follow-up.

    Related Modifiers

    7 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…
    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…
    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…
    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…
    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.,…
    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…

    Related Provider Taxonomies

    8 rows

    Taxonomy Code
    207K00000X
    2085R0203X
    261QP2300X
    207L00000X
    173F00000X
    1041S0200X
    2081P2900X
    246YC3301X

    Related ICD-10-CM Codes

    18 rows

    ICD-10-CM CodeDescription
    M17.0Bilateral primary osteoarthritis of knee
    M17.11Unilateral primary osteoarthritis, right knee
    M17.5Other unilateral secondary osteoarthritis of knee
    M22.2X1Patellofemoral disorders, right knee
    M25.361Other instability, right knee
    M25.462Effusion, left knee
    M25.561Pain in right knee
    M25.569Pain in unspecified knee
    M70.62Trochanteric bursitis, left hip
    M75.50Bursitis of unspecified shoulder

    Showing 1–10 of 18

    Related Payer Policy Updates

    Specialty: Orthopedics/Musculoskeletal1 / 4

    10 rows

    PolicyPayerEffective Date
    Orthopedic Joint Procedures of the Knee for Managed Medicaid (MMC), Health and Recovery Plan (HARP), Child Health Plus (CHP), and Essential Plan (EP) Membersuniverahealthcare2027-01-01
    Autologous Chondrocyte Transplantation or Implantation Corporate Medical Policybcbsvermont2026-12-01
    Autologous Platelet-Derived Growth Factors (Platelet-Rich Plasma [PRP])Cigna2026-10-15
    Metatarsophalangeal Joint ReplacementCigna2026-10-15
    Shoulder Arthroplasty (Total, Partial, Reverse, Revision and Resurfacing)univerahealthcare2026-10-15
    Hip Arthroplasty (partial and total hip replacement)univerahealthcare2026-10-15
    Artificial Lumbar Intervertebral Disc (Lumbar Total Disc Arthroplasty)univerahealthcare2026-10-15
    Osteochondral Grafting of the Kneeuniverahealthcare2026-10-15
    Metal-on-Metal Total Hip Resurfacinguniverahealthcare2026-10-15
    Lumbar Fusion (arthrodesis) with decompressionuniverahealthcare2026-10-15

    Related Codes

    CPT-73501-SINGLE-VIEW-HIP-XRAY

    CPT 73501: Single-View Hip Radiograph

    CPT-73502-HIP-XRAY-TWO-THREE-PROJECTIONS

    CPT 73502: Hip X‑ray, Two or Three Views (Single Hip)

    CPT-73503-HIP-XRAY-MULTIPLE-PROJECTIONS-UNILATERAL

    CPT 73503: Radiography, Hip, Minimum 4 Projections

    CPT-73521-BILATERAL-HIP-X-RAY-TWO-VIEWS

    CPT 73521: Bilateral Hip X‑Ray, Two Views

    CPT-73522-BILATERAL-HIP-X-RAYS-MULTIPLE-PROJECTIONS

    CPT 73522: Bilateral Hip X‑ray, Three to Four Views

    CPT-73523-BILATERAL-HIP-X-RAYS-MULTI-VIEW

    CPT 73523: Bilateral Hip X‑rays, Multiple Projections

    CPT-73525-HIP-ARTHROGRAPHY-IMAGING-SUPERVISION-INTERPRETATION

    CPT 73525: Hip Arthrography Imaging Supervision and Interpretation

    CPT-73551-SINGLE-VIEW-FEMUR-X-RAY

    CPT 73551: Single-Projection Femur X-Ray

    CPT-73552-FEMUR-XRAY-TWO-PROJECTIONS

    CPT 73552: Femur X‑ray, Minimum Two Projections

    CPT-73562-THREE-VIEW-KNEE-RADIOGRAPHS

    CPT 73562: Knee Radiographs, Three Views

    Showing 1–10 of 33

    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.
    Published by

    Trek Health powers OpenPayer with a leading commercial payer intelligence platform, seamlessly converting fragmented payer data into actionable insights for provider organizations.

    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.