40+ page practical reference guide for auditing Medicare rates, spotting underpayments, and turning fee schedule data into operational decisions.
Looking up rates? Get the full 2026 Medicare Fee Schedule handbook.
Current CMS pricing and breakdown for X-ray exam of ankle.
| Quarter | Q2 2025 | Q3 2025 | Q4 2025 | Q1 2026 | Q2 2026 | Q3 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| National Average Payment | $31.05 | $31.05 | $31.05 | $32.40 | $32.40 | $32.40 |
Your actual reimbursement depends on your specific Zip Code and GPCI adjustments (e.g., New York vs. Texas).
X-ray exam of ankle
CPT code 73600 (X-ray exam of ankle) had a 2026 Medicare non-facility reimbursement rate of $32.40. This reflects a 4.35% change from the prior year. The code carries 0.97 total RVUs across work, practice expense, and malpractice components.
For 2026, the estimated National Average Medicare payment for 73600 is $32.40 in a non-facility (office) setting and $32.40 in a facility (hospital/outpatient) setting. Your actual reimbursement depends on locality adjustments.
This code’s RVU components (Work, Practice Expense, and Malpractice) combine to approximately 0.97 total RVUs in the office setting and 0.97 total RVUs in the facility setting.
Description: X-ray exam of ankle. For locality-adjusted estimates, use MedFeeSchedule's Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Lookup Tool.
| Quarter | Q2 2025 | Q3 2025 | Q4 2025 | Q1 2026 | Q2 2026 | Q3 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| National Average Payment | $31.05 | $31.05 | $31.05 | $32.40 | $32.40 | $32.40 |
| Quarter | Non-Facility Rate | Facility Rate | YoY % Change (Non-Fac) | YoY % Change (Fac) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Q3 | $32.40 | $32.40 | +4.35% | +4.35% |
| 2026 Q2 | $32.40 | $32.40 | +4.35% | +4.35% |
| 2026 Q1 | $32.40 | $32.40 | +4.35% | +4.35% |
| 2025 Q4 | $31.05 | $31.05 | — | — |
| 2025 Q3 | $31.05 | $31.05 | — | — |
| 2025 Q2 | $31.05 | $31.05 | — | — |
| 2025 Q1 | $31.05 | $31.05 | — | — |
| Component | Office (Non-Fac) | Facility (Hosp) |
|---|---|---|
| Work RVU | 0.16 | 0.16 |
| Practice Expense (PE) | 0.79 | 0.79 |
| Malpractice (MP) | 0.02 | 0.02 |
| Total RVUs | 0.97 | 0.97 |
Compare a payment against the Medicare benchmark for this code.
Medicare rates are used as a benchmark only. Actual payer contracts, modifiers, place of service, units, and billing rules may affect reimbursement. This tool is for educational and operational review purposes, not legal or billing advice.
National average reimbursement from major commercial payers based on CMS Transparency in Coverage machine-readable files.
| Modifier | Place of Service | Avg. Rate | vs Medicare | Percentile Range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NULL | Office (11) | $91.46 | -4.0% | $80 — $104 |
| NULL | Telehealth (02) | $88.20 | -7.4% | $76 — $102 |
| NULL | Facility (21) | $79.31 | -15.6% | $68 — $95 |
| NULL | Outpatient Hospital (22) | $84.92 | -10.2% | $71 — $99 |
| NULL | Home (12) | $96.14 | +1.0% | $84 — $113 |
Unlock commercial payer rates
See how BCBS, United, Aetna, and Cigna compare to Medicare for every code — included in MedFeeSchedule Pro.
Source: CMS Transparency in Coverage machine-readable files (MRFs). Commercial rates reflect payer-published negotiated amounts and may not reflect individual contracted rates.
Get notified when commercial payer rates launch
We're building payer rate comparison into MedFeeSchedule Pro. Enter your email to get early access.
Medicare often publishes two payment rates for the same code: a **non-facility** rate (typically used when the service is performed in a private office where the clinician bears more overhead) and a **facility** rate (typically used when performed in a hospital or facility where the facility bills separately for its costs).
Because the practice expense portion of RVUs differs by setting, the non-facility and facility payment amounts can be different. For locality-adjusted estimates in 2026, use MedFeeSchedule's Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Lookup Tool.
Medicare reimbursement is determined by RVUs, geographic adjustments, and the annual conversion factor.
The 2026 National Average Medicare reimbursement rate for 73600 (Physician Service) is $32.40. This rate is effective as of January 1, 2026.
X-ray exam of ankle
For many physician services, Medicare publishes different practice-expense RVUs by setting. In general, non-facility rates apply when services are performed in a private office, while facility rates apply when performed in a hospital or facility where the facility bills separately.
Use MedFeeSchedule's Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Lookup Tool on the homepage to estimate your locality-adjusted reimbursement. Medicare payment can vary based on geographic adjustments (GPCI), place of service, and claim specifics.
Coverage depends on medical necessity, setting, and Medicare policy. Some codes may be bundled, contractor-priced, or restricted. Verify final coverage guidance through CMS or your local MAC when applicable.