CPT code 70496: Head CTA, intracranial arteries2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in California

CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 70496 in California.

Medicare allowed amount for participating (non-QP) physicians, before deductible, coinsurance and claim adjustments. Not a patient’s bill or a hospital charge.

What 70496 covers

This service uses contrast-enhanced CT acquisition to depict arteries within the head. It is commonly performed in a hospital or imaging center when clinicians investigate a suspected aneurysm, arterial narrowing or blockage, or another cerebrovascular condition. A radiologist interprets the vascular images; the technical service includes the scanner, contrast administration, and imaging staff. Noncontrast images obtained as part of the CTA are included in the service.

Select this code for a head vascular study, rather than a routine CT examination of brain tissue. The record should support the clinical reason for imaging, the area examined, the contrast-enhanced acquisition, and the radiologist’s interpretation. CMS allows separate professional (modifier 26) and technical (modifier TC) billing; billing without either modifier represents the global service. The diagnostic imaging multiple procedure reduction applies to both the technical and professional components.

This summary was written with AI assistance from CMS physician fee schedule data and checked against the CMS billing rules shown here. Rates on this page come directly from CMS files.

Where 70496 pays more and less in California

The same RVUs, adjusted for each area’s costs. Open a locality for its calculation, history and nearby areas.

29 of 29 payment localities

How the 70496 rate is calculated

Each of 70496’s three RVUs is multiplied by a geographic index (GPCI) for the payment locality, added up, and multiplied by the conversion factor. Drag the indexes or enter a ZIP to see what moves the rate.

Payment rules and modifiers for 70496

The CMS indicators that decide how 70496 is paid alongside other services.

What modifiers do to the payment

When to use modifier 26

70496 compared with similar codes

How to choose

70450Head CTWithout contrast

Use this code for CTA of intracranial vessels. Code 70450 is for routine noncontrast CT imaging of the head, not a vascular angiographic study.

70498Neck CTACervical arteries

This code covers head CTA; 70498 covers neck CTA. Report the code matching the vascular territory examined.

70471CTAHead and neck with contrast

Code 70471 represents a combined head-and-neck CTA service. Use 70496 for head CTA alone when the neck is not included in the examination.

70460Head CTContrast only

Code 70460 is for routine head CT with contrast, whereas 70496 is a contrast-enhanced angiographic study of intracranial vessels.

Codes related to 70496

Related codes aren’t interchangeable: bill the code that matches the service performed.

Where these rates come from

FeeBase calculates base physician payments from CMS work, practice-expense and malpractice RVUs, adjusted by each locality’s geographic indexes and the conversion factor. Services without a published rate are labeled, never given a made-up amount. Amounts are Medicare allowed amounts before claim adjustments: not a patient’s bill or a commercial rate.

CMS RVU26D · effective Oct 1, 2026 through the day before Jan 1, 2027

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates