Billing code 70549: Neck MRAMedicare rate & RVUs

Medicare pays $343.36 for 70549 nationally in the office. Local office rates run $301.74–$471.68.

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

What 70549 covers

This examination uses magnetic resonance angiography to depict arteries in the neck, including carotid and vertebral vessels, with image sets acquired before and after contrast. It is used to assess suspected narrowing, blockage, aneurysmal change, or dissection and to map cervical arterial anatomy. MRI technologists perform the acquisition in hospital imaging departments or freestanding centers; a radiologist interprets the vascular images.

Report 70549 when the documented study includes both noncontrast and contrast-enhanced neck angiographic imaging; use 70547 for neck MRA without contrast and 70548 for neck MRA with contrast alone. The record should identify the neck vessels examined, the imaging performed with and without contrast, and the interpreting report. The service may be billed globally, or the interpretation and technical work may be split with modifier 26 and TC, respectively. When multiple diagnostic imaging procedures are reported, CMS applies the multiple-procedure reduction to both the professional and technical 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 70549 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

70549 rates by state

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

How the 70549 rate is calculated

Each of 70549’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 70549

The CMS indicators that decide how 70549 is paid alongside other services.

What modifiers do to the payment

When to use modifier 26

70549 compared with similar codes

How to choose

70547Neck MRA

Use 70547 when the neck angiographic study is performed without contrast only; 70549 includes imaging both without and with contrast.

70548Neck MRA

Use 70548 when the neck angiographic study is performed with contrast only; 70549 includes imaging both without and with contrast.

70546Head MR angiography

70546 describes head MRA performed without and with contrast. Choose 70549 for the neck vessels; both codes may be reported when both regions are separately examined.

70543Regional MRI

70543 is an MRI of the orbit, face, and neck soft tissues without and with contrast, not an angiographic study of neck vessels.

Codes related to 70549

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