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CMS RVU26D · Effective 2026-10-01

70554 in Chico

Office / nonfacility

$405.41

Base rate per service

Facility setting

Not available in this setting

Base rate per service

Amounts below use the non-QP conversion factor for participating physicians. These are base physician payments before claim-level adjustments, not patient costs or total hospital charges.

Magnetic resonance imaging

About 70554: Technologist-acquired functional brain MRI

Report 70554 for functional brain MRI acquired by a technologist to map task-related brain activity, such as for presurgical planning, without physician or psychologist attendance.

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.

CMS billing rules for 70554

Professional and technical components
Diagnostic test with a professional component (modifier 26, interpretation) and a technical component (modifier TC, equipment and staff); billing without a modifier is the global service.
Multiple procedures
Diagnostic imaging multiple procedure reduction applies to the technical and professional components.
Bilateral procedures
Each side is paid separately at 100% when performed bilaterally.

Where the value comes from

  • Work RVU2.06 · 18%
  • Practice expense (office) RVU9.08 · 80%
  • Malpractice RVU0.17 · 2%

524

Medicare services in 2024 · #3516 by national volume

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.

70554 compared with similar codes

Office rates for Chico, from the same CMS release.

70555

Fmri brain by phys/psych

No office rate

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

70551

Brain MRI

Without contrast

$208.48

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

70553

Brain MRI

Without and with contrast

$338.53

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

The same code, a different location

How does Chico compare?

In Bakersfield, the office rate for 70554 is $405.97—$0.56 higher than the $405.41 rate in Chico. Both use the same code, release and participation basis.

70554 across payment areas

Same release and payment basis · bars start at $0

  1. Chico · This locality

    $405.41

  2. Bakersfield

    $405.97

    $0.56 higher than Chico

  3. El Centro

    $405.44

    $0.03 higher than Chico

  4. Fresno

    $405.41

    The same base rate than Chico

  5. Hanford-Corcoran

    $405.41

    The same base rate than Chico

  6. Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim (Los Angeles/Orange Cnty)

    $434.18

    $28.77 higher than Chico

  7. Madera

    $405.41

    The same base rate than Chico

Other payment areas listed in California appear first, followed by selected cross-country examples. The chart compares amounts, not distance.

Across 109 of 109 CMS payment localities with a supported office rate, 70554 ranges from $332.25 in Arkansas to $516.75 in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara (San Benito Cnty). This is a geographic range, not an average.

The code’s RVUs stay the same in these comparisons. Geographic adjustments to work, practice expense and malpractice change the dollar amount. A city name alone may not identify the payment area for a service address.

Compare all 108 other payment areas

  • Merced

    California · 70554

    Office

    $405.41

    Facility

    Unavailable

    The same base rate than Chico for the office setting.

  • Modesto

    California · 70554

    Office

    $405.41

    Facility

    Unavailable

    The same base rate than Chico for the office setting.

  • Napa

    California · 70554

    Office

    $475.75

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $70.34 higher than Chico for the office setting.

  • Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura

    California · 70554

    Office

    $432.75

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $27.34 higher than Chico for the office setting.

  • Redding

    California · 70554

    Office

    $405.41

    Facility

    Unavailable

    The same base rate than Chico for the office setting.

  • Rest Of California

    California · 70554

    Office

    $405.41

    Facility

    Unavailable

    The same base rate than Chico for the office setting.

  • Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario

    California · 70554

    Office

    $407.28

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $1.87 higher than Chico for the office setting.

  • Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom

    California · 70554

    Office

    $427.04

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $21.63 higher than Chico for the office setting.

  • Salinas

    California · 70554

    Office

    $425.48

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $20.07 higher than Chico for the office setting.

  • San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad

    California · 70554

    Office

    $436.67

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $31.26 higher than Chico for the office setting.

  • San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley (Marin Cnty)

    California · 70554

    Office

    $505.57

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $100.16 higher than Chico for the office setting.

  • San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley (San Francisco/San Mateo/Alameda/Contra Costa Cnty)

    California · 70554

    Office

    $505.38

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $99.97 higher than Chico for the office setting.

  • San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara (San Benito Cnty)

    California · 70554

    Office

    $516.75

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $111.34 higher than Chico for the office setting.

  • San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara (Santa Clara Cnty)

    California · 70554

    Office

    $515.96

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $110.55 higher than Chico for the office setting.

  • San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles

    California · 70554

    Office

    $418.46

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $13.05 higher than Chico for the office setting.

  • Santa Cruz-Watsonville

    California · 70554

    Office

    $441.78

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $36.37 higher than Chico for the office setting.

  • Santa Maria-Santa Barbara

    California · 70554

    Office

    $427.40

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $21.99 higher than Chico for the office setting.

  • Santa Rosa-Petaluma

    California · 70554

    Office

    $446.34

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $40.93 higher than Chico for the office setting.

  • Stockton

    California · 70554

    Office

    $405.41

    Facility

    Unavailable

    The same base rate than Chico for the office setting.

  • Vallejo

    California · 70554

    Office

    $475.47

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $70.06 higher than Chico for the office setting.

  • Visalia

    California · 70554

    Office

    $405.41

    Facility

    Unavailable

    The same base rate than Chico for the office setting.

  • Yuba City

    California · 70554

    Office

    $405.41

    Facility

    Unavailable

    The same base rate than Chico for the office setting.

  • Dc + Md/Va Suburbs

    District of Columbia · 70554

    Office

    $436.11

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $30.70 higher than Chico for the office setting.

  • Miami

    Florida · 70554

    Office

    $398.88

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $6.53 lower than Chico for the office setting.

  • Chicago

    Illinois · 70554

    Office

    $387.12

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $18.29 lower than Chico for the office setting.

  • Manhattan

    New York · 70554

    Office

    $434.63

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $29.22 higher than Chico for the office setting.

  • Alaska*

    Alaska · 70554

    Office

    $429.33

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $23.92 higher than Chico for the office setting.

  • Alabama

    Alabama · 70554

    Office

    $337.39

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $68.02 lower than Chico for the office setting.

  • Arkansas

    Arkansas · 70554

    Office

    $332.25

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $73.16 lower than Chico for the office setting.

  • Arizona

    Arizona · 70554

    Office

    $367.54

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $37.87 lower than Chico for the office setting.

  • Colorado

    Colorado · 70554

    Office

    $396.76

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $8.65 lower than Chico for the office setting.

  • Connecticut

    Connecticut · 70554

    Office

    $403.69

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $1.72 lower than Chico for the office setting.

  • Delaware

    Delaware · 70554

    Office

    $373.90

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $31.51 lower than Chico for the office setting.

  • Fort Lauderdale

    Florida · 70554

    Office

    $386.29

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $19.12 lower than Chico for the office setting.

  • Rest Of Florida

    Florida · 70554

    Office

    $367.28

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $38.13 lower than Chico for the office setting.

  • Atlanta

    Georgia · 70554

    Office

    $383.96

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $21.45 lower than Chico for the office setting.

  • Rest Of Georgia

    Georgia · 70554

    Office

    $346.10

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $59.31 lower than Chico for the office setting.

  • Hawaii, Guam

    Hawaii · 70554

    Office

    $416.92

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $11.51 higher than Chico for the office setting.

  • Iowa

    Iowa · 70554

    Office

    $348.56

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $56.85 lower than Chico for the office setting.

  • Idaho

    Idaho · 70554

    Office

    $350.51

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $54.90 lower than Chico for the office setting.

  • East St. Louis

    Illinois · 70554

    Office

    $359.26

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $46.15 lower than Chico for the office setting.

  • Rest Of Illinois

    Illinois · 70554

    Office

    $354.58

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $50.83 lower than Chico for the office setting.

  • Suburban Chicago

    Illinois · 70554

    Office

    $390.82

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $14.59 lower than Chico for the office setting.

  • Indiana

    Indiana · 70554

    Office

    $352.71

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $52.70 lower than Chico for the office setting.

  • Kansas

    Kansas · 70554

    Office

    $345.83

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $59.58 lower than Chico for the office setting.

  • Kentucky

    Kentucky · 70554

    Office

    $343.62

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $61.79 lower than Chico for the office setting.

  • New Orleans

    Louisiana · 70554

    Office

    $360.64

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $44.77 lower than Chico for the office setting.

  • Rest Of Louisiana

    Louisiana · 70554

    Office

    $342.65

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $62.76 lower than Chico for the office setting.

  • Metropolitan Boston

    Massachusetts · 70554

    Office

    $438.80

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $33.39 higher than Chico for the office setting.

  • Rest Of Massachusetts

    Massachusetts · 70554

    Office

    $393.79

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $11.62 lower than Chico for the office setting.

  • Baltimore/Surr. Cntys

    Maryland · 70554

    Office

    $402.35

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $3.06 lower than Chico for the office setting.

  • Rest Of Maryland

    Maryland · 70554

    Office

    $381.63

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $23.78 lower than Chico for the office setting.

  • Rest Of Maine

    Maine · 70554

    Office

    $351.36

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $54.05 lower than Chico for the office setting.

  • Southern Maine

    Maine · 70554

    Office

    $372.94

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $32.47 lower than Chico for the office setting.

  • Detroit

    Michigan · 70554

    Office

    $371.04

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $34.37 lower than Chico for the office setting.

  • Rest Of Michigan

    Michigan · 70554

    Office

    $352.11

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $53.30 lower than Chico for the office setting.

  • Minnesota

    Minnesota · 70554

    Office

    $382.56

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $22.85 lower than Chico for the office setting.

  • Metropolitan Kansas City

    Missouri · 70554

    Office

    $359.13

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $46.28 lower than Chico for the office setting.

  • Metropolitan St. Louis

    Missouri · 70554

    Office

    $363.22

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $42.19 lower than Chico for the office setting.

  • Rest Of Missouri

    Missouri · 70554

    Office

    $335.76

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $69.65 lower than Chico for the office setting.

  • Mississippi

    Mississippi · 70554

    Office

    $334.13

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $71.28 lower than Chico for the office setting.

  • Montana**

    Montana · 70554

    Office

    $377.75

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $27.66 lower than Chico for the office setting.

  • North Carolina

    North Carolina · 70554

    Office

    $355.39

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $50.02 lower than Chico for the office setting.

  • North Dakota**

    North Dakota · 70554

    Office

    $374.39

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $31.02 lower than Chico for the office setting.

  • Nebraska

    Nebraska · 70554

    Office

    $350.88

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $54.53 lower than Chico for the office setting.

  • New Hampshire

    New Hampshire · 70554

    Office

    $389.49

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $15.92 lower than Chico for the office setting.

  • Northern Nj

    New Jersey · 70554

    Office

    $431.01

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $25.60 higher than Chico for the office setting.

  • Rest Of New Jersey

    New Jersey · 70554

    Office

    $408.97

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $3.56 higher than Chico for the office setting.

  • New Mexico

    New Mexico · 70554

    Office

    $353.73

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $51.68 lower than Chico for the office setting.

  • Nevada**

    Nevada · 70554

    Office

    $377.12

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $28.29 lower than Chico for the office setting.

  • Nyc Suburbs/Long Island

    New York · 70554

    Office

    $444.35

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $38.94 higher than Chico for the office setting.

  • Poughkpsie/N Nyc Suburbs

    New York · 70554

    Office

    $410.86

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $5.45 higher than Chico for the office setting.

  • Queens

    New York · 70554

    Office

    $439.87

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $34.46 higher than Chico for the office setting.

  • Rest Of New York

    New York · 70554

    Office

    $360.91

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $44.50 lower than Chico for the office setting.

  • Ohio

    Ohio · 70554

    Office

    $351.42

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $53.99 lower than Chico for the office setting.

  • Oklahoma

    Oklahoma · 70554

    Office

    $344.05

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $61.36 lower than Chico for the office setting.

  • Portland

    Oregon · 70554

    Office

    $411.08

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $5.67 higher than Chico for the office setting.

  • Rest Of Oregon

    Oregon · 70554

    Office

    $374.86

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $30.55 lower than Chico for the office setting.

  • Metropolitan Philadelphia

    Pennsylvania · 70554

    Office

    $392.53

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $12.88 lower than Chico for the office setting.

  • Rest Of Pennsylvania

    Pennsylvania · 70554

    Office

    $352.58

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $52.83 lower than Chico for the office setting.

  • Puerto Rico

    Puerto Rico · 70554

    Office

    $381.02

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $24.39 lower than Chico for the office setting.

  • Rhode Island

    Rhode Island · 70554

    Office

    $388.47

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $16.94 lower than Chico for the office setting.

  • South Carolina

    South Carolina · 70554

    Office

    $353.86

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $51.55 lower than Chico for the office setting.

  • South Dakota**

    South Dakota · 70554

    Office

    $373.99

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $31.42 lower than Chico for the office setting.

  • Tennessee

    Tennessee · 70554

    Office

    $347.54

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $57.87 lower than Chico for the office setting.

  • Austin

    Texas · 70554

    Office

    $394.84

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $10.57 lower than Chico for the office setting.

  • Beaumont

    Texas · 70554

    Office

    $350.07

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $55.34 lower than Chico for the office setting.

  • Brazoria

    Texas · 70554

    Office

    $374.34

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $31.07 lower than Chico for the office setting.

  • Dallas

    Texas · 70554

    Office

    $376.36

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $29.05 lower than Chico for the office setting.

  • Fort Worth

    Texas · 70554

    Office

    $373.41

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $32.00 lower than Chico for the office setting.

  • Galveston

    Texas · 70554

    Office

    $375.22

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $30.19 lower than Chico for the office setting.

  • Houston

    Texas · 70554

    Office

    $378.33

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $27.08 lower than Chico for the office setting.

  • Rest Of Texas

    Texas · 70554

    Office

    $361.75

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $43.66 lower than Chico for the office setting.

  • Utah

    Utah · 70554

    Office

    $358.99

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $46.42 lower than Chico for the office setting.

  • Virginia

    Virginia · 70554

    Office

    $370.94

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $34.47 lower than Chico for the office setting.

  • Virgin Islands

    United States Virgin Islands · 70554

    Office

    $381.02

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $24.39 lower than Chico for the office setting.

  • Vermont

    Vermont · 70554

    Office

    $371.93

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $33.48 lower than Chico for the office setting.

  • Rest Of Washington

    Washington · 70554

    Office

    $393.38

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $12.03 lower than Chico for the office setting.

  • Seattle (King Cnty)

    Washington · 70554

    Office

    $449.01

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $43.60 higher than Chico for the office setting.

  • Wisconsin

    Wisconsin · 70554

    Office

    $361.10

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $44.31 lower than Chico for the office setting.

  • West Virginia

    West Virginia · 70554

    Office

    $340.48

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $64.93 lower than Chico for the office setting.

  • Wyoming**

    Wyoming · 70554

    Office

    $376.29

    Facility

    Unavailable

    $29.12 lower than Chico for the office setting.

See how rates vary across the country

70554 · Office / nonfacility · Non-QP. Choose a state to explore its payment localities. A range means the amount varies within that state.

MEWIVTNHMTNDMNMINYMARIWAIDWYSDIAILINOHPANJCTORNVUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDECAAZNMKSOKARTNNCSCDCTXLAMSALGAFLAKHI

Explore a state

Local rates. Clear comparisons.

Hover or focus a tile to see its rate range. Select it to open the state’s fee schedule.

$332.25

$461.08

Color shows the midpoint of each state’s locality range.

View all state and territory rates as a table
State / territoryRate rangeLocalities
AK$429.331
AL$337.391
AR$332.251
AZ$367.541
CA$405.41–$516.7529
CO$396.761
CT$403.691
DC$436.111
DE$373.901
FL$367.28–$398.883
GA$346.10–$383.962
GU$416.921
HI$416.921
IA$348.561
ID$350.511
IL$354.58–$390.824
IN$352.711
KS$345.831
KY$343.621
LA$342.65–$360.642
MA$393.79–$438.802
MD$381.63–$436.113
ME$351.36–$372.942
MI$352.11–$371.042
MN$382.561
MO$335.76–$363.223
MS$334.131
MT$377.751
NC$355.391
ND$374.391
NE$350.881
NH$389.491
NJ$408.97–$431.012
NM$353.731
NV$377.121
NY$360.91–$444.355
OH$351.421
OK$344.051
OR$374.86–$411.082
PA$352.58–$392.532
PR$381.021
RI$388.471
SC$353.861
SD$373.991
TN$347.541
TX$350.07–$394.848
UT$358.991
VA$370.94–$436.112
VI$381.021
VT$371.931
WA$393.38–$449.012
WI$361.101
WV$340.481
WY$376.291

Explore 70554 on the national rate map →

Where does this rate apply?

Chico is a Medicare payment area. Our Census mapping connects it to 30 cities and communities in California, including the examples shown here.

Some communities span more than one payment area. Follow a city link to compare all of its mapped areas, or check the service-location ZIP above for an address-level starting point.

Browse all communities in California →

Use this rate

What is a percentage of Medicare worth?

Turn a percentage into dollars for 70554 in Chico. This uses the base rate on this page, so the locality and release stay consistent.

Reference amount per service

$445.95

$405.41 × 110% = $445.95

A contract may specify another Medicare year or additional adjustments. This is percentage arithmetic on the displayed base rate, not a claim adjudication.

Working with a whole code list?

Compare an offer across your annual code mix, including an older Medicare schedule or flat per-code rates.

Compare your contract offer →

How this local rate is calculated

Each RVU component is multiplied by its own geographic practice cost index (GPCI). The three adjusted components are added, then multiplied by the conversion factor. These are the inputs used for 70554 in Chico.

PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv

7,865

Code
70554
Physician work
2.06
Practice expense
9.08
Malpractice
0.17

GPCI2026.csv

9

Locality
Chico
Physician work
1.017
Practice expense
1.096
Malpractice
0.536
Office / nonfacility calculation for 70554 in Chico
ComponentRVULocality factorAdjusted
Physician work2.06× 1.0172.0950
Practice expense9.08× 1.0969.9517
Malpractice0.17× 0.5360.0911
Total RVUs12.1378
Conversion factor× 33.4009

Office / nonfacility rate, Chico$405.41

Values as parsed from CMS release RVU26D, effective 2026-10-01. The amount is rounded to the nearest cent only at the end.

Open 70554 in the RVU calculator →

Explore RVUs, geographic factors and the full formula

Office / nonfacility

Office / nonfacility calculation inputs
ComponentRVULocal GPCI
Work2.061.017
Practice expense9.081.096
Malpractice0.170.536

(2.06 × 1.017 + 9.08 × 1.096 + 0.17 × 0.536) × $33.4009 = $405.41

The office and facility calculations use their respective practice-expense RVUs. The facility amount here is the physician fee, not a separate hospital or facility bill.

How this rate has changed

70554 · Office / nonfacility

$405.41

Effective 2026-10-01

The base rate is $5.39 higher than on 2025-10-01, moving from $400.02 to $405.41 (1.3%).

It is unchanged from the immediately preceding available release, effective 2026-07-01.

Base rate by release · bars start at $0 · select a bar to compare

One bar per available release, ordered by effective date. Missing rates remain gaps. These comparisons hold the code, setting and locality identifiers constant; they do not isolate which policy or input caused a change.

What changed, release by release

  1. January 1, 2026

    RVU26A

    $400.02changed to$405.41

    • Conversion factor 32.3465 changed to 33.4009
    • Work RVU 2.11 changed to 2.06
    • Practice expense RVU 9.27 changed to 9.08
    • Work GPCI 1.014 changed to 1.017
    • Practice expense GPCI 1.093 changed to 1.096
    • Malpractice GPCI 0.560 changed to 0.536

    Held through RVU26B, RVU26C, RVU26D.

  2. January 1, 2025

    RVU25A

    Earliest loaded release: $400.02

    Held through RVU25B, RVU25C, RVU25D.

Explore release dates and calculate this code in an earlier period →

Each row uses the accepted CMS release effective on that date and the same contractor and locality identifiers. Missing rates stay visible. Historical boundaries may differ; verify the service address for an older claim.

Inspect every release and its CMS source
Effective fromOffice / nonfacilityFacilityCMS release
2026-10-01$405.41Not available in this settingRVU26D
2026-07-01$405.41Not available in this settingRVU26C
2026-04-01$405.41Not available in this settingRVU26B
2026-01-01$405.41Not available in this settingRVU26A
2025-10-01$400.02Not available in this settingRVU25D
2025-07-01$400.02Not available in this settingRVU25C
2025-04-01$400.02Not available in this settingRVU25B
2025-01-01$400.02Not available in this settingRVU25A

70554 billing questions

How is 70554 different from 70555?

70554 is for technologist acquisition without physician or psychologist attendance. Use 70555 when the physician or psychologist attends the functional imaging.

Can the technical and professional services be billed separately?

Yes. Report modifier TC for the technical service and modifier 26 for the professional interpretation and report. Billing without either modifier represents the global service.

When does the imaging multiple-procedure reduction apply?

When multiple diagnostic imaging procedures are performed, CMS applies the reduction to both the technical and professional components.

Is 70554 the code for a routine brain MRI?

No. It describes functional imaging that maps task-related brain activity. Routine anatomic brain MRI is represented by codes such as 70551 through 70553, selected according to contrast use.

What documentation supports reporting 70554?

Document the clinical reason for functional mapping, the imaging acquisition, and the interpreting physician's or psychologist's findings and report. The record should support that the technologist performed the acquisition without physician or psychologist attendance.

How does CMS treat bilateral performance?

When the service is performed bilaterally, CMS pays each side separately at 100%. Follow applicable claim instructions for reporting the sides.

Where these rates come from

FeeBase calculates base physician payments from CMS work, practice-expense, and malpractice RVUs, adjusted by each locality’s geographic indices and the applicable conversion factor. Unavailable or separately priced services are labeled rather than assigned a made-up amount.

Source: RVU26D. Effective 2026-10-01 through the day before 2027-01-01.

RVUs for 70554PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 7,865 (RVU26D)
Geographic factors for ChicoGPCI2026.csv, line 9 (RVU26D)
Open CMS sourceHow this rate is calculatedBuild a fee sheet