Billing code 70540: MRIMedicare rate & RVUs in Oklahoma
MRI of the orbit, face, or neck without contrast evaluates soft-tissue structures when the ordered study does not use contrast material.
Medicare pays $204.81 for 70540 in the office in Oklahoma (Oklahoma). 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 70540 covers
This service is an MRI examination focused on the orbit, face, or neck, performed without contrast material. It may be ordered to evaluate soft-tissue concerns such as an orbital abnormality or a mass in the face or neck. A radiologic technologist performs the scan, and a physician, typically a radiologist, interprets the images. The exam may take place in a hospital, imaging center, or other setting with MRI equipment.
Report 70540 when the documented study covers the orbit, face, or neck and is performed without contrast. The order and imaging report should support the body region examined and the contrast protocol. The code represents the global service when billed without a component modifier; modifier 26 identifies the physician interpretation, while modifier TC identifies the technical service, including equipment and staff. CMS applies the diagnostic imaging multiple procedure reduction to both the technical and professional components when the rule is triggered.
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.
70540 in Oklahoma
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Oklahoma | $204.81 | Unavailable |
How the 70540 rate is calculated
Each of 70540’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 · 70540
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
Work 1.32Practice expense 5.31Malpractice 0.09
All indexes start at 1.000 (the national rate). Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 70540
The CMS indicators that decide how 70540 is paid alongside other services.
CMS payment indicators · 70540
MRI
| 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
70540 without 26 · national office
$224.45
MRI
70540-26 · Professional component
$61.79
Pays only the interpretation and report.
70540 compared with similar codes
Compare codes
70540 vs 70542 vs 70543 vs 70551: national Medicare rates
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
How to choose
- 70542MRI with contrast
- Use 70542 for an orbit, face, or neck MRI performed with contrast; 70540 is for the examination without contrast.
- 70543Regional MRI
- 70543 applies when the examination includes imaging both without and with contrast. 70540 covers the noncontrast examination only.
- 70551Brain MRI
- 70551 is for a brain MRI without contrast. 70540 is selected when the imaged region is the orbit, face, or neck.
70540 billing questions
How does 70540 differ from 70542?
70540 is for the orbit, face, or neck MRI performed without contrast. Use 70542 when the study is performed with contrast.
When is 70543 reported instead?
70543 describes an orbit, face, or neck MRI performed both without and with contrast. Follow the documented imaging protocol rather than choosing based only on the clinical indication.
Can the interpretation and technical service be billed separately?
Yes. Modifier 26 identifies the professional interpretation, and modifier TC identifies the technical service. Without either modifier, the claim represents the global service.
What documentation supports 70540?
The order and report should identify the orbit, face, or neck as the imaged region and show that the examination was performed without contrast.
How does the multiple procedure reduction affect 70540?
When the diagnostic imaging multiple procedure reduction applies, CMS applies it to the technical and professional components.
Should 70540 be used for a brain MRI?
No. Choose a brain MRI code when the imaged anatomy is the brain rather than the orbit, face, or neck; for example, 70551 is a brain MRI without 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
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