$189.94
72148 is for lumbar MRI without contrast. Report 72149 when contrast is used and no corresponding noncontrast acquisition is performed.
On this page
CMS RVU26D · Effective 2026-10-01
72149 MRI Medicare reimbursement rates in Delaware
Reports lumbar spine MRI acquired with contrast when evaluation requires contrast-enhanced imaging, such as assessment of suspected infection, tumor, or postoperative abnormality. Compare 72149 office and facility rates across CMS payment localities in Delaware.
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.
What does Medicare pay for 72149 in Delaware?
Delaware has 1 payment locality in this comparison. Use the service location to choose the applicable amount. These are the supported base rates for the payment area shown below, using the same CMS release.
Office / nonfacility
$266.94
1 of 1 localities have a supported rate.
Payment area: Delaware
One mapped payment locality.
Facility setting
No supported rate
These are locality ranges, not averages or address-specific quotes. A facility-setting amount covers the physician service; it does not include a hospital’s separate bill. Choose a locality below to inspect its calculation, compare other payment areas, or price a percentage of Medicare.
Radiology
About 72149: Lumbar spine MRI with contrast
Reports lumbar spine MRI acquired with contrast when evaluation requires contrast-enhanced imaging, such as assessment of suspected infection, tumor, or postoperative abnormality.
This service is an MRI examination of the lumbar spine performed with contrast. A radiologist interprets the images, while imaging staff operate the scanner and acquire the study in a hospital or outpatient imaging center. Clinicians may request contrast-enhanced lumbar imaging when evaluating suspected infection, tumor, inflammatory disease, or a postoperative abnormality.
Report this code when the documented examination uses contrast without also acquiring the corresponding noncontrast study. If the MRI includes both noncontrast and contrast imaging, the combined code 72158 is the relevant choice; a noncontrast-only examination is reported with 72148. Documentation should identify the lumbar anatomy studied, the use of contrast, and the clinical reason for the examination. The service may be billed globally, or its interpretation and technical work may be billed separately with modifiers 26 and TC. When multiple diagnostic imaging services are performed, the CMS multiple procedure reduction applies to both the professional and technical components.
CMS billing rules for 72149
- 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.
Where the value comes from
- Work RVU1.74 · 22%
- Practice expense (office) RVU6.21 · 77%
- Malpractice RVU0.12 · 1%
4.4K
Medicare services in 2024 · #1961 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.
72149 compared with similar codes
Office rates for Delaware, from the same CMS release.
$315.28
72158 applies when the lumbar MRI includes both noncontrast and contrast imaging. 72149 represents contrast imaging only.
$167.06
72132 describes lumbar spine CT with contrast, not MRI. Choose based on the modality documented as performed.
Compare 72149 by payment locality
Find the payment area for your service address, then open its rate page for calculation inputs, release history and the percentage-of-Medicare tool. A city may cross payment-area boundaries; the ZIP lookup above helps resolve the location.
1 of 1 payment localities
Delaware →
Office / nonfacility
$266.94
Facility
Unavailable
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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 72149 in Delaware.
PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv
8,027
- Code
- 72149
- Physician work
- 1.74
- Practice expense
- 6.21
- Malpractice
- 0.12
GPCI2026.csv
40
- Locality
- Delaware
- Physician work
- 1.005
- Practice expense
- 0.988
- Malpractice
- 0.899
| Component | RVU | Locality factor | Adjusted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Physician work | 1.74 | × 1.005 | 1.7487 |
| Practice expense | 6.21 | × 0.988 | 6.1355 |
| Malpractice | 0.12 | × 0.899 | 0.1079 |
| Total RVUs | 7.9921 | ||
| Conversion factor | × 33.4009 | ||
Office / nonfacility rate, Delaware$266.94
Explore RVUs, geographic factors and the full formula
Office / nonfacility
| Component | RVU | Local GPCI |
|---|---|---|
| Work | 1.74 | 1.005 |
| Practice expense | 6.21 | 0.988 |
| Malpractice | 0.12 | 0.899 |
(1.74 × 1.005 + 6.21 × 0.988 + 0.12 × 0.899) × $33.4009 = $266.94
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.
72149 billing questions
When should 72149 be reported instead of 72158?
Use 72149 for a lumbar MRI performed with contrast only. Use 72158 when the examination includes both noncontrast and contrast imaging.
How does 72149 differ from 72148?
72149 represents lumbar MRI with contrast, while 72148 represents the noncontrast examination. Select the code that matches the imaging actually performed.
Can the professional and technical portions be billed separately?
Yes. Modifier 26 identifies the interpretation, and modifier TC identifies the technical 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 72149?
The record should identify the lumbar MRI, confirm that contrast was used without a noncontrast acquisition, and document the clinical reason for the examination.
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.
8,02472148,,Mri lumbar spine w/o dye,A,,1.44,4.20,,4.20,NA,0.10,5.74,5.74,1,XXX,0.00,0.00,0.00,4,0,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,88,7.79,7.79,0.12
8,02572148,26,Mri lumbar spine w/o dye,A,,1.44,0.53,,0.53,,0.08,2.05,2.05,1,XXX,0.00,0.00,0.00,4,0,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,88,0.00,0.00,0.00
8,02672148,TC,Mri lumbar spine w/o dye,A,,0.00,3.67,,3.67,NA,0.02,3.69,3.69,1,XXX,0.00,0.00,0.00,4,0,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,01,0,88,7.26,7.26,0.04
8,02772149,,Mri lumbar spine w/dye,A,,1.74,6.21,,6.21,NA,0.12,8.07,8.07,1,XXX,0.00,0.00,0.00,4,0,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,88,11.24,11.24,0.15
8,02872149,26,Mri lumbar spine w/dye,A,,1.74,0.63,,0.63,,0.09,2.46,2.46,1,XXX,0.00,0.00,0.00,4,0,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,88,0.00,0.00,0.00
8,02972149,TC,Mri lumbar spine w/dye,A,,0.00,5.58,,5.58,NA,0.03,5.61,5.61,1,XXX,0.00,0.00,0.00,4,0,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,02,0,88,10.61,10.61,0.06
8,03072156,,Mri neck spine w/o & w/dye,A,,2.23,7.13,,7.13,NA,0.16,9.52,9.52,1,XXX,0.00,0.00,0.00,4,0,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,88,11.42,11.42,0.18
3704112,CO,01,COLORADO,1.012,1.064,0.781
3813102,CT,00,CONNECTICUT,1.020,1.077,1.210
3912202,DC,01,DC + MD/VA SUBURBS,1.054,1.178,1.113
4012102,DE,01,DELAWARE,1.005,0.988,0.899
4109102,FL,03,FORT LAUDERDALE,1.000,1.013,1.808
4209102,FL,04,MIAMI,1.000,1.041,2.529
4309102,FL,99,REST OF FLORIDA,1.000,0.956,1.503