$208.39
Choose 72141 when the cervical spine MRI is performed without contrast. This code requires imaging both before and after contrast.
On this page
CMS RVU26D · Effective 2026-10-01
72156 Spine MRI Medicare reimbursement rates in Guam
Reports cervical spine MRI with images acquired before and after contrast, commonly used to evaluate suspected lesions, infection, or spinal cord abnormalities. Compare 72156 office and facility rates across CMS payment localities in Guam.
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 72156 in Guam?
Guam 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
$348.35
1 of 1 localities have a supported rate.
Payment area: Hawaii, Guam
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.
Diagnostic imaging
About 72156: Cervical spine MRI before and after contrast
Reports cervical spine MRI with images acquired before and after contrast, commonly used to evaluate suspected lesions, infection, or spinal cord abnormalities.
This examination uses magnetic resonance imaging to assess the cervical vertebrae, discs, spinal canal, cord, and surrounding tissues, with images obtained before and after contrast administration. It may be ordered for suspected tumor, infection, inflammatory disease, postoperative concerns, or neurologic symptoms that suggest cervical cord or nerve-root disease. A technologist performs the scan in a hospital or outpatient imaging center, and a radiologist interprets the images.
Report this code when the cervical spine study includes both precontrast and postcontrast imaging; a study using only one contrast protocol is coded differently. The record should support the clinical reason for imaging and document the performed examination and interpretation. The global service includes the professional interpretation and technical work; modifier 26 identifies the interpretation, while modifier TC identifies the equipment and staff portion. CMS applies the diagnostic imaging multiple procedure reduction to both components when it applies.
CMS billing rules for 72156
- 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 RVU2.23 · 23%
- Practice expense (office) RVU7.13 · 75%
- Malpractice RVU0.16 · 2%
126.5K
Medicare services in 2024 · #497 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.
72156 compared with similar codes
Office rates for Guam, from the same CMS release.
$300.84
Choose 72142 for a cervical spine MRI with contrast only; use this code when the examination includes both precontrast and postcontrast imaging.
$215.57
72127 is a cervical spine CT examination with imaging before and after contrast. This code is for the corresponding MRI examination.
Compare 72156 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
Hawaii, Guam →
Office / nonfacility
$348.35
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 72156 in Hawaii, Guam.
PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv
8,030
- Code
- 72156
- Physician work
- 2.23
- Practice expense
- 7.13
- Malpractice
- 0.16
GPCI2026.csv
46
- Locality
- Hawaii, Guam
- Physician work
- 1.000
- Practice expense
- 1.137
- Malpractice
- 0.579
| Component | RVU | Locality factor | Adjusted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Physician work | 2.23 | × 1.000 | 2.2300 |
| Practice expense | 7.13 | × 1.137 | 8.1068 |
| Malpractice | 0.16 | × 0.579 | 0.0926 |
| Total RVUs | 10.4294 | ||
| Conversion factor | × 33.4009 | ||
Office / nonfacility rate, Hawaii, Guam$348.35
Explore RVUs, geographic factors and the full formula
Office / nonfacility
| Component | RVU | Local GPCI |
|---|---|---|
| Work | 2.23 | 1 |
| Practice expense | 7.13 | 1.137 |
| Malpractice | 0.16 | 0.579 |
(2.23 × 1 + 7.13 × 1.137 + 0.16 × 0.579) × $33.4009 = $348.35
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.
72156 billing questions
When should this code be chosen over 72141?
Use this code when the cervical spine MRI includes images both before and after contrast. Code 72141 describes the study without contrast.
How does this differ from 72142?
Code 72142 is for cervical spine MRI performed with contrast only. This code represents imaging before and after contrast.
Can the interpretation and scan be billed separately?
Yes. Modifier 26 identifies the professional interpretation, and modifier TC identifies the technical portion. Without either modifier, the billing represents the global service.
Does the multiple procedure reduction affect both portions?
Yes. CMS applies the diagnostic imaging multiple procedure reduction to the technical and professional components.
Should the code be reported for each image sequence?
No. Report the examination as a service, not once for each sequence. The documentation should support that both precontrast and postcontrast imaging were 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 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.
8,02772149,,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
8,03172156,26,Mri neck spine w/o & w/dye,A,,2.23,0.80,,0.80,,0.13,3.16,3.16,1,XXX,0.00,0.00,0.00,4,0,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,88,0.00,0.00,0.00
8,03272156,TC,Mri neck spine w/o & w/dye,A,,0.00,6.33,,6.33,NA,0.03,6.36,6.36,1,XXX,0.00,0.00,0.00,4,0,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,02,0,88,10.62,10.62,0.05
8,03372157,,Mri chest spine w/o & w/dye,A,,2.23,7.15,,7.15,NA,0.16,9.54,9.54,1,XXX,0.00,0.00,0.00,4,0,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,88,11.42,11.42,0.18
4309102,FL,99,REST OF FLORIDA,1.000,0.956,1.503
4410212,GA,01,ATLANTA,1.003,1.016,1.201
4510212,GA,99,REST OF GEORGIA,1.000,0.892,1.192
4601212,HI,01,"HAWAII, GUAM",1.000,1.137,0.579
4702202,ID,00,IDAHO,1.000,0.920,0.473
4806102,IL,16,CHICAGO,1.007,1.005,2.295
4906102,IL,12,EAST ST. LOUIS,1.000,0.920,2.014