Billing code 70546: Head MR angiographyMedicare rate & RVUs in Alabama
MR angiography of the head with image acquisition before and after contrast is reported to evaluate intracranial vessels, including suspected aneurysm or stenosis.
Medicare pays $291.48 for 70546 in the office in Alabama (Alabama). Which amount applies depends on the service address.
Medicare allowed amount for participating (non-QP) physicians, before deductible, coinsurance and claim adjustments. Not a patient’s bill or a hospital charge.
On this page 9 sections
What 70546 covers
This study uses magnetic resonance angiography to depict blood vessels within the head, with image acquisition both before and after contrast administration. It may be ordered to assess suspected intracranial aneurysm, narrowing or blockage, or a vascular malformation. A technologist performs the imaging in a hospital or outpatient imaging center, and a radiologist interprets the resulting images and provides a report. The study focuses on intracranial vessels, not the brain tissue examination reported for a standard brain MRI.
Select this code when the documented head angiography protocol includes both noncontrast and contrast-enhanced imaging; do not report it merely because contrast was planned if the performed study does not include both phases. The report and imaging record should support the head as the anatomic region and the two-part contrast protocol. CMS recognizes professional and technical components: modifier 26 identifies interpretation, modifier TC identifies equipment and staff, and no component 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.
70546 in Alabama
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $291.48 | Unavailable |
How the 70546 rate is calculated
Each of 70546’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.
How the rate is built · 70546
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work1.44
1.44 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense8.25
8.25 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice0.12
0.12 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
9.8100
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$327.66
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 70546
The CMS indicators that decide how 70546 is paid alongside other services.
CMS payment indicators · 70546
Head MR angiography
| Rule | CMS value | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Global period | XXX | The global surgery concept doesn’t apply. |
| Multiple procedures | 4 | Diagnostic imaging reduction applies to the technical component (and professional component) of additional services. |
| Bilateral (modifier 50) | 0 | The 150% bilateral adjustment doesn’t apply. |
| Assistant at surgery (80/81/82/AS) | 0 | Not paid without supporting documentation. |
| Co-surgeons (62) | 0 | Not permitted. |
| Team surgery (66) | 0 | Not permitted. |
| Professional/technical | 1 | Diagnostic test with separate professional (26) and technical (TC) components. |
What modifiers do to the payment
Modifier 26 · payment effect
With and without the modifier
70546 without 26 · national office
$327.66
Head MR angiography
70546-26 · Professional component
$67.80
Pays only the interpretation and report.
70546 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
5 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 70544Head MRA
- 70544 is for head MR angiography without contrast. Choose 70546 when the head study includes both noncontrast and contrast-enhanced imaging.
- 70545Head MR angiography
- 70545 represents head MR angiography with contrast. Choose 70546 when the protocol also includes a noncontrast acquisition.
- 70549Neck MRA
- 70549 covers MR angiography of the neck without and with contrast; 70546 is for intracranial vessels in the head.
- 70553Brain MRI
- 70553 is a brain MRI without and with contrast, rather than an angiographic study focused on head vessels.
70546 billing questions
When should this code be chosen over 70544 or 70545?
Use 70546 when the head MR angiography includes both noncontrast and contrast-enhanced imaging. 70544 describes the noncontrast protocol, while 70545 describes the contrast protocol.
Can the noncontrast and contrast phases be reported separately?
Report the combined study once with 70546 when both phases are performed as the head MR angiography exam. Do not bill a separate code for each phase of that exam.
How should the professional and technical services be billed?
Use modifier 26 for the radiologist's interpretation and report, or modifier TC for the equipment and staff service. Billing without either modifier represents the global service.
Does the multiple procedure reduction affect both components?
Yes. CMS applies the diagnostic imaging multiple procedure reduction to both the professional and technical components.
What documentation supports reporting 70546?
The imaging record and radiology report should identify intracranial vessels as the target and support acquisition both without and with contrast.
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
Show the CMS file lines behind this rate
Fee sheets
Put 70546 and the rest of your codes on one sheet
Build a fee sheet from your own code list at your locality, put your payer contracts beside Medicare, and see what changed each quarter.
Build my fee sheetOr price your code list free →