CPT code 76017: MR safety, medical physics examination2026 Medicare rate & RVUs

Medicare pays $221.78 for 76017 nationally in the office. Local office rates run $192.73–$308.27.

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

What 76017 covers

This service covers medical physics work to evaluate an MRI safety issue and tailor or supervise the examination for the individual patient. Examples include reviewing patient-specific information about an implant or foreign body and determining how the MRI protocol or scanning conditions should be adapted. It is typically performed by a medical physicist as part of planning or carrying out an MRI when standard scanning arrangements need patient-specific safety review.

Report the code for each documented 15-minute unit of the qualifying medical physics work. The record should identify the safety issue, the patient-specific review or protocol customization performed, and the time spent. The service may be billed globally, with the professional component reported using modifier 26, or with the technical component reported using modifier TC. CMS applies the diagnostic imaging multiple procedure reduction to both the professional and technical components when applicable.

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 76017 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

76017 rates by state

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

How the 76017 rate is calculated

Each of 76017’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 76017

The CMS indicators that decide how 76017 is paid alongside other services.

What modifiers do to the payment

When to use modifier 26

76017 compared with similar codes

How to choose

76014MRI safety assessmentInitial 15 minutes

Choose 76014 for an MR safety expert’s implant or foreign-body assessment. Choose 76017 for medical physics review, customization, or supervision.

76016MR safety reviewPhysician or QHP determination

76016 captures a physician’s or qualified health care professional’s MR safety determination; 76017 captures the medical physics work.

76018MRI implant preparationElectrical stimulation system

76018 is for preparing an electronic implant for MRI. It does not represent the broader medical physics examination or protocol customization of 76017.

Codes related to 76017

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