Billing code 70010: Brain radiographyMedicare rate & RVUs in Oregon
Contrast radiography of the brain and skull is reported for a conventional X-ray examination using contrast, rather than CT or MRI imaging.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 70010 in Oregon.
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 70010 covers
This service covers conventional radiographic imaging of the brain and skull after contrast is introduced to make intracranial structures visible on X-rays. A classic example is ventriculography, in which contrast outlines the brain’s ventricular system. The study is performed in a radiology setting; a radiologist interprets the images, and an appropriately trained clinician may perform the access or contrast introduction for an invasive study.
Select 70010 for the contrast brain/skull examination actually performed, not simply because contrast was used in another imaging modality. The distinction from 70015 is the documented use of stereoscopic technique. The report should identify the radiographic study and contrast technique; for a ventriculogram, documentation should also support that study. CMS assigns work, practice-expense, and malpractice RVUs to the service, with practice-expense values represented for office and facility settings.
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.
Where 70010 pays more and less in Oregon
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Portland | Unavailable | $49.89 |
| Rest Of Oregon | Unavailable | $48.31 |
How the 70010 rate is calculated
Each of 70010’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 · 70010
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
Work 1.16Practice expense 0.21Malpractice 0.11
All indexes start at 1.000 (the national rate). Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 70010
70010 has no global surgery period, no multiple-procedure, bilateral or assistant-at-surgery adjustment, and no professional/technical split. What changes the payment is where the service happens: the place of service on the claim decides whether Medicare pays the office or the facility rate.
Place of service · 70010
Which rate does Medicare pay?
The POS code on the claim line (CMS-1500 box 24B).
Non-facility (office) rate · national
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70010 isn’t priced in this setting.
70010 compared with similar codes
Compare codes
70010 vs 70015 vs 70551 vs 70553: national Medicare rates
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How to choose
- 70015Cisternography
- Both cover contrast radiography of the brain and skull; 70015 is distinguished by stereoscopic technique, which should be documented.
- 70551Brain MRI
- 70551 is brain MRI without contrast. Use it for MRI, not conventional contrast X-ray imaging.
- 70553Brain MRI
- 70553 is brain MRI performed without and with contrast. It is an MRI service, not contrast radiography.
70010 billing questions
How do I distinguish 70010 from 70015?
Use 70010 for the contrast brain/skull radiographic examination without the stereoscopic technique specified for 70015. The imaging report should support the technique billed.
Can I report 70010 for a contrast MRI or CT of the brain?
No. This code is for conventional contrast radiography of the brain and skull, not CT or MRI.
What documentation supports 70010?
The report should identify the brain/skull radiographic examination and its contrast technique. For ventriculography, the record should identify the ventricular study.
Should 70010 and 70015 both be reported for one examination?
Choose the code that matches the technique performed. Do not report both merely because the examination used contrast.
Is 70010 a professional interpretation code for MRI?
No. It describes a contrast radiographic brain/skull study; it is not an MRI interpretation code.
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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