CPT code 70554: Functional brain MRI, technologist acquisition2026 Medicare rate & RVUs

Medicare pays $377.76 for 70554 nationally in the office. Local office rates run $332.25–$516.75.

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

What 70554 covers

This service uses functional MRI to map brain activity associated with tasks, often to help plan surgery near areas involved in language or movement. A technologist conducts the imaging acquisition; the physician or psychologist interprets the study and prepares the report without attending the acquisition. It is commonly performed in a hospital or imaging center when a clinical team needs functional information for neurologic or neurosurgical evaluation.

Choose this code for functional rather than routine anatomic brain imaging, and retain documentation of the clinical purpose, acquisition, interpretation, and report. The global service is billed without a component modifier; modifier TC identifies the technical service, and modifier 26 identifies the professional interpretation. When multiple diagnostic imaging procedures are performed, the imaging multiple-procedure reduction applies to both components. CMS pays each side separately at 100% when the service is performed bilaterally.

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 70554 pays more and less

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

109 of 109 payment localities

70554 rates by state

Office rate range in each state. Select a state to see its payment localities.

How the 70554 rate is calculated

Each of 70554’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 70554

The CMS indicators that decide how 70554 is paid alongside other services.

What modifiers do to the payment

When to use modifier 26

70554 compared with similar codes

How to choose

70555Functional brain MRIPhysician or psychologist

Both describe functional brain MRI, but 70554 is acquired without physician or psychologist attendance; 70555 is used when one attends.

70551Brain MRIWithout contrast

70551 is routine anatomic brain MRI without contrast. Choose 70554 when the service maps task-related brain activity.

70553Brain MRIWithout and with contrast

70553 is routine anatomic brain MRI without and with contrast; 70554 is functional imaging rather than a contrast-based anatomic study.

Codes related to 70554

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