CPT 70551: MRI of Brain and Brain Stem, Non-Contrast
Medicare pays $135 and commercial payers pay $532 on average nationally for this procedure.
CPT code 70551 describes a non-contrast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) exam of the brain and brain stem, performed as a diagnostic imaging service typically provided in an outpatient radiology or hospital imaging department to evaluate structural brain pathology without intravenous contrast.
For related coverage guidance, see recent payer policy updates: Lumbar Microdiscectomy, Artificial Cervical Intervertebral Disc, Lumbar Decompression.
Customize your policy alerts
Sign up for cpt 70551 policy alerts
Get alerted when payer policies referencing 70551 are released or updated.
Monitor payer policy activity
National Reimbursement Benchmarks
Commercial averages sit well above Medicare for CPT 70551: Blue Cross Blue Shield and BUCA (an aggregate commercial benchmark) each show mean rates far above Medicare’s mean of $135.40, with BUCA at $532.40 and Blue Cross Blue Shield at $754.10. This highlights a sizable commercial-to-Medicare gap in national mean reimbursements for this imaging code.
Dispersion varies notably across payers when comparing the interquartile ranges (P75–P25). Blue Cross Blue Shield’s IQR is $808.40 (877.30–606.90), the widest, reflecting substantial variability; UnitedHealth Group follows with an IQR of $218.90 (347.80–127.90). Cigna’s IQR is $240.50 (343.80–110.30). Aetna is comparatively tighter with an IQR of $193.60 (282.10–85.00). BUCA’s IQR is $271.40 (640.40–393.00), and Medicare’s IQR is $117.00 (188–71), the narrowest of the group.