$267.14
Use 72146 for a thoracic MRI without contrast; use 72147 when contrast is administered.
On this page
CMS RVU26D · Effective 2026-10-01
72146 Spine MRI Medicare reimbursement rates in Vermont
Reports MRI evaluation of the thoracic spine without contrast, commonly used to assess mid-back pain, neurologic symptoms, or suspected spinal disease. Compare 72146 office and facility rates across CMS payment localities in Vermont.
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 72146 in Vermont?
Vermont 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
$187.35
1 of 1 localities have a supported rate.
Payment area: Vermont
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 72146: Thoracic spine MRI without contrast
Reports MRI evaluation of the thoracic spine without contrast, commonly used to assess mid-back pain, neurologic symptoms, or suspected spinal disease.
This service is an MRI examination of the thoracic, or mid-back, spine performed without contrast material. It may be used to evaluate symptoms or findings such as thoracic radiculopathy, spinal cord compression, or suspected disc, bone, or soft-tissue abnormality. Imaging centers and hospital radiology departments typically provide the technical service, while a radiologist interprets the images and issues a report.
Select this code when the documented study covers the thoracic spine and is performed without contrast; use the corresponding contrast or without-and-with-contrast code when that protocol is performed. The order and report should support the body region and contrast protocol. CMS recognizes professional and technical components: modifier 26 identifies interpretation, modifier TC identifies equipment and staff, and billing without either modifier represents the global service. When multiple diagnostic imaging procedures are performed, the multiple procedure reduction applies to both professional and technical components.
CMS billing rules for 72146
- 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 RVU1.44 · 25%
- Practice expense (office) RVU4.16 · 73%
- Malpractice RVU0.10 · 2%
252.3K
Medicare services in 2024 · #343 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.
72146 compared with similar codes
Office rates for Vermont, from the same CMS release.
$313.62
Use 72157 when the thoracic MRI includes imaging both before and after contrast, rather than a noncontrast-only examination.
$128.16
72128 describes CT imaging of the thoracic spine without contrast. Choose between CT and MRI based on the examination actually performed.
Compare 72146 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
Vermont →
Office / nonfacility
$187.35
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 72146 in Vermont.
PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv
8,018
- Code
- 72146
- Physician work
- 1.44
- Practice expense
- 4.16
- Malpractice
- 0.10
GPCI2026.csv
105
- Locality
- Vermont
- Physician work
- 1.000
- Practice expense
- 0.990
- Malpractice
- 0.506
| Component | RVU | Locality factor | Adjusted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Physician work | 1.44 | × 1.000 | 1.4400 |
| Practice expense | 4.16 | × 0.990 | 4.1184 |
| Malpractice | 0.10 | × 0.506 | 0.0506 |
| Total RVUs | 5.6090 | ||
| Conversion factor | × 33.4009 | ||
Office / nonfacility rate, Vermont$187.35
Explore RVUs, geographic factors and the full formula
Office / nonfacility
| Component | RVU | Local GPCI |
|---|---|---|
| Work | 1.44 | 1 |
| Practice expense | 4.16 | 0.99 |
| Malpractice | 0.1 | 0.506 |
(1.44 × 1 + 4.16 × 0.99 + 0.1 × 0.506) × $33.4009 = $187.35
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.
72146 billing questions
How does this differ from 72147?
This code is for a thoracic spine MRI performed without contrast. Code 72147 describes a thoracic spine MRI performed with contrast.
When should 72157 be reported instead?
Use 72157 when the thoracic MRI is performed both before and after contrast administration. The documented examination protocol determines the code.
Can the interpretation and imaging facility bill separately?
Yes. Modifier 26 identifies the professional interpretation, and modifier TC identifies the technical service. Without either modifier, the claim represents the global service.
How does the multiple procedure reduction affect this service?
When multiple diagnostic imaging procedures are performed, the CMS multiple procedure reduction applies to the professional and technical components.
What documentation supports this code?
The order and imaging report should identify the thoracic spine as the examined region and show that the MRI was performed 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 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.
8,01572142,,Mri neck spine w/dye,A,,1.74,6.32,,6.32,NA,0.14,8.20,8.20,1,XXX,0.00,0.00,0.00,4,0,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,88,11.24,11.24,0.17
8,01672142,26,Mri neck spine w/dye,A,,1.74,0.63,,0.63,,0.11,2.48,2.48,1,XXX,0.00,0.00,0.00,4,0,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,88,0.00,0.00,0.00
8,01772142,TC,Mri neck spine w/dye,A,,0.00,5.69,,5.69,NA,0.03,5.72,5.72,1,XXX,0.00,0.00,0.00,4,0,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,02,0,88,10.61,10.61,0.06
8,01872146,,Mri chest spine w/o dye,A,,1.44,4.16,,4.16,NA,0.10,5.70,5.70,1,XXX,0.00,0.00,0.00,4,0,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,88,7.78,7.78,0.12
8,01972146,26,Mri chest spine w/o dye,A,,1.44,0.52,,0.52,,0.08,2.04,2.04,1,XXX,0.00,0.00,0.00,4,0,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,88,0.00,0.00,0.00
8,02072146,TC,Mri chest spine w/o dye,A,,0.00,3.64,,3.64,NA,0.02,3.66,3.66,1,XXX,0.00,0.00,0.00,4,0,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,01,0,88,7.26,7.26,0.04
8,02172147,,Mri chest spine w/dye,A,,1.74,6.26,,6.26,NA,0.12,8.12,8.12,1,XXX,0.00,0.00,0.00,4,0,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,88,11.24,11.24,0.15
10204412,TX,18,HOUSTON,1.008,0.993,1.376
10304412,TX,99,REST OF TEXAS,1.000,0.949,0.903
10403502,UT,09,UTAH,1.000,0.940,0.898
10514512,VT,50,VERMONT,1.000,0.990,0.506
10611302,VA,00,VIRGINIA,1.000,0.983,0.706
10709202,VI,50,VIRGIN ISLANDS,1.000,1.011,0.985
10802402,WA,02,SEATTLE (KING CNTY),1.050,1.227,0.817