Quick Answer: CPT 70471 is the CTA head and neck CPT code for one combined computed tomographic angiography of the head and neck with contrast, including noncontrast images when performed and image postprocessing. It took effect January 1, 2026, and replaces billing CPT 70496 plus CPT 70498 for the same study.
Table: CPT code 70471 at a glance (2026)
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| What it covers | One CTA of the head and neck with contrast; noncontrast images (when performed) and image postprocessing are included |
| CMS short descriptor | Cta h&n c+ w/noncontrast img |
| Code type and effective date | Category I CPT code, effective January 1, 2026 |
| Replaces | 70496 + 70498 billed together for one combined study |
| Still valid alone | 70496 (CTA head only) and 70498 (CTA neck only) |
| Don’t report in the same session with | CT head 70450 to 70470, CT neck 70490 to 70492, 3D rendering 76376 and 76377 |
| Perfusion codes | +70472 with a concurrent CT or CTA; 70473 when perfusion runs alone |
| Global period | XXX (global surgery rules don’t apply) |
| 2026 Medicare national payment | Global $376.76; modifier 26 $118.24; modifier TC $258.52 (non-QP conversion factor $33.4009, before geographic adjustment) |
| Hospital outpatient (OPPS) | Status indicator S, APC 5572, CY 2026 national rate $356.43 |
For years, CTA head and CTA neck went out as two claim lines, and charge systems paired them without anyone looking. January 2026 ended that. A radiology information system (RIS) that still pairs 70496 and 70498 sends the wrong claim before a coder opens the chart.
Key Takeaways for Billing CPT 70471
- Report 70471 when CTA of the head and the neck run in the same session; 70496 and 70498 still cover single-region studies.
- Leave 70450, CT neck codes 70490 to 70492, and 3D rendering codes 76376 and 76377 off a same-session 70471 claim.
- Bill a stroke protocol with concurrent perfusion as 70471 plus +70472, and save 70473 for perfusion without CT or CTA.
- Expect less: Medicare’s 2026 national global rate for 70471 is $376.76, about 31% below the $547.77 the old pair carried at full rates.
- Stop searching for a local coverage determination (LCD) written for 70471 alone; coverage rests on the diagnosis and the documentation in the record.
- Check authorizations issued under 70496 or 70498 before billing 70471, since UnitedHealthcare added 70471 to prior authorization on September 1, 2026.
What Is CPT Code 70471?
CPT code 70471 is a single computed tomographic angiography (CTA) service that covers the head and neck vessels in one study. It’s a Category I code in Current Procedural Terminology (CPT), active for dates of service on and after January 1, 2026. One claim line now does the job two lines used to do.
Procedure code 70471 sits in the Diagnostic Radiology section, inside the head and neck CT range. As the CPT code for CTA head and neck, it can go out as one global charge from an imaging center that does both parts. A hospital and a radiology group can also split it.
The Official 70471 CPT Code Description, Term by Term
The American Medical Association (AMA) CPT 2026 code set describes 70471 as “Computed tomographic angiography (CTA), head and neck, with contrast material(s), including noncontrast images, when performed, and image postprocessing.” The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) shortens that to “Cta h&n c+ w/noncontrast img” in its payment files.
- Computed tomographic angiography: a CT scan built to image blood vessels.
- Head and neck: both regions in one study.
- With contrast material(s): IV contrast is part of the defined service.
- Including noncontrast images, when performed, and image postprocessing: both are already paid inside the code.
In plain English, the CPT 70471 description means one contrast CTA of both regions, with any noncontrast images and reconstructions folded into a single charge.
What’s Included in the 70471 Service
The 70471 CPT code folds together three pieces billers used to stack: the noncontrast series, the contrast angiography of both regions, and the postprocessing. Postprocessing covers the maximum intensity projection (MIP), multiplanar reformation (MPR), and 3D reconstructions the radiologist reviews. None of those three gets its own line.
The report has to prove all of it happened. It should show imaging of the intracranial vessels and the cervical carotid and vertebral arteries, confirm contrast went in, and state that the radiologist reviewed the reconstructions. A report covering one territory supports 70496 or 70498 instead.
Is CPT 70471 a New Code? Effective Date and Why the AMA Created It
Yes. CPT 70471 is a new Category I code that became valid for dates of service on and after January 1, 2026. Before that date, a combined head and neck CTA went out as two codes. Claims with 2025 dates of service still follow the old rules.
The AMA’s RVS Update Committee (RUC) flags code pairs billed together most of the time. Providers billed CTA head and CTA neck on the same claim more than 75% of the time, so the CPT Editorial Panel combined them. CMS then set the 2026 value in the CY 2026 Physician Fee Schedule final rule.
The CT angiography head and neck CPT code arrived in a large update. AMA’s CPT 2026 release counted 288 new codes, 84 deletions, and 46 revisions across the code set. Your charge master needs a review every January, and 2026 made that review urgent for imaging.
Where 70471 Sits in the CT Head and Neck Code Family
There’s no single CTA CPT code for every body part. Each region has its own code, and the CT codes for the head and neck break down into these ranges:
- 70450 to 70470: CT of the head or brain
- 70480 to 70482: CT of the orbit, sella, posterior fossa, or ear
- 70486 to 70488: maxillofacial CT
- 70490 to 70492: CT of the soft tissue neck
- 70496 and 70498: CTA of the head alone or the neck alone
- 70471: CTA of the head and neck together
CPT 70471 vs 70496 vs 70498: Which CTA Code Do You Report?
Report CPT 70471 when a CTA covers both the head and neck in one session, CPT 70496 when it covers the head alone, and CPT 70498 when it covers the neck alone. If you came looking for a CTA scan CPT code, the radiology report decides which one applies.
Table: CT angio head and neck CPT code comparison, 2026
| Code | What it covers | Contrast | Report it when | Common error |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 70471 | CTA head and neck, combined | With; noncontrast images included when performed | Both regions imaged in one session | Billing 70496 + 70498 instead |
| 70496 | CTA head only | With; noncontrast images included when performed | Intracranial vessels only | Using it when the neck was also imaged |
| 70498 | CTA neck only | With; noncontrast images included when performed | Cervical carotid and vertebral arteries only | Using it when the head was also imaged |
| 70491 | CT soft tissue neck | With | Soft tissue evaluation of the neck | Calling it a “CTA neck” code |
| 70450 | CT head or brain | Without | Standalone noncontrast head CT | Adding it to 70471 for the same session |
| +70472 | CT cerebral perfusion with concurrent CT or CTA | With | Perfusion runs alongside CT or CTA of the same anatomy | Billing it without a primary code |
| 70473 | CT cerebral perfusion without concurrent CT or CTA | With | Perfusion is the only study | Billing it with a same-session CTA |
Code Selection by Clinical Scenario
Most coding calls on these studies come down to a handful of scenarios. Each line below pairs a common order pattern with the code it supports, so a coder can check a claim against it before it drops.
- Head-only stroke workup CTA: 70496, the CTA head CPT code (also searched as the CPT code for CTA brain)
- Carotid evaluation by CTA alone: 70498, the CTA neck CPT code and, in practice, the CTA carotid artery CPT code
- Head and neck CTA in one session: 70471
- Head and neck CTA plus concurrent perfusion: 70471 + 70472
- Perfusion with no CT or CTA: 70473
- Noncontrast head CT plus head and neck CTA in the same session: 70471 alone
- Carotid ultrasound ordered instead of CTA: a different code family, covered in our carotid duplex scan billing guide
Orders and reports don’t always match. Say the order reads “CTA head,” but the technologist images down to the aortic arch. The CT angiogram head CPT code fits the order, yet the report documents both regions. Get an updated order from the referring office before you bill 70471.
Can 70496 and 70498 Be Billed Together in 2026?
No, not for one combined study. Starting January 1, 2026, a same-session CTA of the head and neck reports as 70471. Billing CPT code 70496 with CPT code 70498 for that study is unbundling, and that exposure outlasts any single denial.
Most of these claims start in software. Turn off any RIS or charge-capture rule that pairs the two codes by default, and check every scanner protocol name that maps to a charge. A protocol still labeled “CTA head and CTA neck” can keep firing two charges after the update.
Is There a CTA Head and Neck Code “With and Without Contrast”?
No. There’s no separate without-and-with CTA head and neck CPT code. 70471 already includes noncontrast images when they’re performed, so a study with a plain series and a contrast run still reports as one code.
The confusion comes from payer lists. Some describe 70471 as “without and with contrast,” and UnitedHealthcare’s (UHC’s) September 2026 prior authorization list is one example. That wording describes what the study can include. It doesn’t create a second code, and your claim stays 70471 either way.
70491 Is Not a CTA Neck Code
CPT 70491 is a CT of the soft tissue neck with contrast. It’s not a CT angiogram, so it can’t stand in for 70498 or 70471. The 70491 CPT code description centers on soft tissue: masses, lymph nodes, and abscesses. CTA codes evaluate vessels.
You’ll still see CPT 70491 mislabeled as a CTA neck code online, so read the full descriptor before you copy a code from any lookup list. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) sit in separate families, and our brain MRI billing guide walks through those rules.
Can CPT 70471 and 70450 Be Billed Together?
No, not for the same session. CPT 70471 already includes noncontrast images when performed, so a noncontrast head CT from the same imaging session can’t go out as 70450, the usual CT head CPT code. A CT head done in a separate session can carry its own charge with the right documentation.
The Same-Session Rule: Noncontrast Images Are Already Inside 70471
The descriptor already pays for the noncontrast series. Adding 70450 for those images pays for the same pictures twice, and auditors treat it that way. Per AHRA’s implementation guidance, don’t report 70471 in the same session with these codes:
- CT head or brain, 70450 to 70470
- CT soft tissue neck, 70490 to 70492
- 3D rendering, 76376 and 76377
If the head CT is the only study that day, it has its own billing rules. Our guide to the CT head without contrast code covers that standalone scenario, including how coders pick the CPT code for CT head without contrast over the with-contrast options.
CPT Parenthetical vs NCCI Edit: Why Claims Pass and Still Fail Audit
Two different controls govern this pair. A CPT parenthetical note is a coding rule, and it applies whether or not a payer’s system enforces it. CMS runs the other control: the National Correct Coding Initiative (NCCI) procedure-to-procedure (PTP) edit, a claims-system edit it updates each quarter.
Early in 2026, coders reported that 70450 and 70471 slipped past scrubbers with no NCCI edit. The CPT book still bars reporting them for the same session. Check the current quarter’s CMS NCCI PTP edit files, version 32.3, effective October 1, 2026, rather than assuming either way.
A claim that pays today can still come back as a recoupment in a post-payment audit. If a PTP edit does fire on this pair, expect a bundling denial, and our guide to CO-236 NCCI edit denials shows how to read and fix it.
Stroke Protocol Billing: CT Head, CTA, and Perfusion in One Visit
Picture a typical emergency department (ED) stroke alert. The patient gets a noncontrast head CT to rule out hemorrhage, then a CTA of the head and neck, then CT perfusion. All three run on the same table in one session, and three separate orders often sit in the chart.
Code this visit as 70471 plus +70472. Leave 70450 off the claim, because 70471 already includes the noncontrast images. The perfusion add-on attaches to 70471 as its primary code. Three orders tempt three charges, and that’s how this claim goes out wrong.
Build the charge-capture rule around the imaging session and ignore the order count. On the facility side, hospitals that want the extra noncontrast acquisition cost reflected in most cases handle it through their chargemaster price for 70471. A separate 70450 line isn’t the tool for that.
When a Separate-Session CT Head Can Stand on Its Own
A CT head in a separate session can carry its own charge. The documentation has to show a real second encounter, and auditors look for these five items in the record:
- A separate order
- A separate acquisition with distinct time stamps
- A distinct, documented indication
- A separate signed report
- A true second encounter, such as a repeat head CT hours later after the patient worsens
On the modifier side, XE (separate encounter) is more specific than 59 where the payer accepts it. Payer policies on XE and 59 differ, and the NCCI modifier indicator for the pair has to allow a modifier at all. Confirm the payer’s rule before you rely on one.
3D Rendering (76376, 76377) and CT Neck Codes
Postprocessing sits inside the 70471 descriptor, so 3D rendering codes 76376 and 76377 don’t go on the claim for the same study. A CT soft tissue neck from 70490 to 70492 in the same session follows the same do-not-report rule. Remove both before the claim drops.
On stroke-protocol claims, one coding call decides whether a CT head gets written off now or defended later in an audit. If your team is sorting these out one appeal at a time, our radiology medical billing team builds session rules into charge entry.
How 70471 Works With Perfusion Codes +70472 and 70473
CPT 70471 covers the vessel imaging, while +70472 and 70473 are CT cerebral perfusion codes that measure blood flow and blood volume in brain tissue, most often in acute stroke. Add +70472 when perfusion runs with a concurrent CT or CTA of the same anatomy. Report 70473 when perfusion runs alone.
+70472: The Add-On That Needs a Primary Code
CPT 70472 is an add-on code, and you can’t bill it without a primary code on the same claim. Per the CPT parenthetical, the primary codes are 70450, 70460, 70470, 70471, and 70496. A claim carrying the 70472 CPT add-on by itself will reject.
Look at what’s missing from that list: 70498. Perfusion images the brain, and 70498 covers the neck alone, so a neck-only CTA can’t anchor the add-on. In a stroke protocol with a combined head and neck CTA, +70472 rides on 70471 every time.
70473: Perfusion Without a Concurrent CT or CTA
CPT 70473 is a standalone code for perfusion analysis when no CT or CTA of the same anatomy runs in that session. It fits a perfusion-only study, for example on a transfer patient who had vessel imaging at another hospital earlier that day.
AHRA lists a predictable 2026 mistake: reporting 70473 when a CTA ran in the same session. That claim needs 70471 plus +70472 instead. Neither perfusion code goes on a claim with 3D rendering codes 76376 or 76377 for the same study.
0042T Is Deleted: Update Order Sets and the Charge Master
The AMA deleted Category III code 0042T on January 1, 2026, and replaced it with +70472 and 70473. Search your charge master, order sets, and superbills for 0042T now. A deleted code rejects at the clearinghouse, and it’ll keep rejecting until someone removes the source.
Check the claim lines together. Once the CPT code CT angiogram line and the perfusion line drop, CPT 70472 should follow 70471 or another eligible primary, and CPT 70473 shouldn’t appear. Under the 2026 Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS), +70472 carries status indicator N, meaning packaged payment. It still belongs on the claim.
What the Report Must Show for Perfusion
A perfusion claim stands or falls on the report. In line with AHRA’s documentation point, every perfusion report should state these three things where an auditor can find them in seconds:
- That perfusion analysis was performed
- Whether a concurrent CT or CTA took place
- The clinical indication, including any time-sensitive stroke findings
Some Medicare contractors also require specific modifiers on perfusion claims from certified stroke centers, so check your Medicare Administrative Contractor’s (MAC’s) perfusion billing article. Requirements differ by jurisdiction, so the article for your state is the one that counts.
How Much Does Medicare Pay for CPT 70471 in 2026?
Medicare’s 2026 national payment for CPT code 70471 is $376.76 global, $118.24 for the professional component with modifier 26, and $258.52 for the technical component with modifier TC. Those figures use the non-QP conversion factor of $33.4009 before geographic adjustment. Your locality’s geographic practice cost index (GPCI) changes the final number.
Table: CPT CTA head and neck payment, 2026 national
| Component | Total RVU | Non-QP ($33.4009) | QP ($33.5675) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Global (no modifier) | 11.28 (work 2.50, PE 8.60, MP 0.18) | $376.76 | $378.64 |
| Professional (modifier 26) | 3.54 | $118.24 | $118.83 |
| Technical (modifier TC) | 7.74 | $258.52 | $259.81 |
Qualifying participants in Advanced Alternative Payment Models (QPs) get the higher $33.5675 conversion factor, so the table shows both. Relative value units (RVUs) come from the CMS 2026 Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) file, with practice expense (PE) and malpractice (MP) shown beside work.
There’s No Separate Facility Rate for 70471
CMS doesn’t publish a separate facility payment for 70471. If a hospital and a radiology group split the study, the group bills modifier 26 and the hospital bills the technical side. Some code-lookup sites, and at least one AI search tool, show $376.76 as a facility rate. That’s wrong.
Billing 26 and TC on the same line rebuilds the global service, and the payer reads it as a duplicate. Our guide to modifier 26 split billing covers who bills what. For your own locality, the CMS PFS Look-Up Tool shows the amounts by component.
Multiple Procedure Payment Reduction on Same-Session Imaging
If 70471 is the lower-valued advanced imaging study in the same session for the same patient, CMS cuts its technical component by 50% and its professional component by 5%. That works out to $129.26 for TC and about $112.56 for the professional component at the 2026 national rate.
A head CT from a separate, earlier session doesn’t enter this calculation. CT of the chest or abdomen in the same session can, which matters for trauma patients who get several scans in one trip through the scanner.
The 31% Drop From the Old 70496 and 70498 Pair
On paper, the combined code pays 31.2% less than the old pair’s full global rate and 26.2% less on the professional side. The table below uses the full 2026 fee schedule amount for each code, before any multiple procedure payment reduction (MPPR).
Table: 70471 vs the old CPT 70496 and CPT 70498 pair, 2026 Medicare national
| Billing | Professional (26) | Global |
|---|---|---|
| CT angiography head CPT code 70496 | $80.16 | $273.89 |
| CTA neck 70498 | $80.16 | $273.89 |
| Old pair total (full rates, before MPPR) | $160.32 | $547.77 |
| 70471 combined | $118.24 | $376.76 |
| Change | Down 26.2% | Down 31.2% |
Volume-heavy stroke programs feel this right away. The old pair took an MPPR cut on the second code, so the real-world drop is smaller than the table shows, yet it’s still a drop. It tempts some teams to keep billing the pair. That trade swaps a lower payment for unbundling exposure.
Hospital Outpatient Payment Under OPPS
Under the 2026 hospital outpatient system, 70471 carries status indicator S and maps to ambulatory payment classification (APC) 5572, Level 2 Imaging with Contrast. The American College of Radiology’s OPPS final rule summary lists APC 5572 at a 2026 national rate of $356.43.
The perfusion add-on +70472 carries status indicator N, so it earns no separate APC payment, yet it still goes on the UB-04 claim. 70473 maps to APC 5571, which pays $179.20 in 2026. Hospitals running stroke volume need chargemaster and APC monitoring, which is part of how our hospital revenue cycle management team works.
A Locality Example, Perfusion Rates, and the Global Period
As one example, Medicare’s Florida Locality 99 rates for 70471, effective January 1, 2026, are $367.15 global, $247.70 for TC, and $119.45 for modifier 26. At 2026 national rates, CPT 70472 pays $36.41 professional and $156.32 global. 70473 pays $47.43 professional and $241.15 global.
The global period for 70471 is XXX, so global surgery rules don’t apply. Under traditional Medicare, the patient’s share is the Part B 20% coinsurance after the annual deductible. Your front desk can collect it like any other outpatient imaging balance.
Medical Necessity for CPT 70471: LCDs, ICD-10 Codes, and Documentation
Medicare covers 70471 under the Physician Fee Schedule when the documented diagnosis supports medical necessity. We haven’t found a Medicare contractor with a coverage policy written only for 70471, so medical necessity rests on the diagnosis code and what the record documents.
The 70471 CPT descriptor tells you what the radiologist performed. Your diagnosis code has to explain why the patient needed the study, and that’s where coverage denials on this code start.
Is There an LCD for CPT Code 70471?
No Medicare contractor we’ve found has a local coverage determination written only for 70471. The closest match sits in Jurisdictions J6 (Illinois, Minnesota, and Wisconsin) and JK (New York and New England), where the MAC’s perfusion article, billing article A58152, first listed 70471 when the AMA deleted 0042T.
A later revision, also effective January 1, 2026, removed 70471, so the article now covers only 70472 and 70473. The contractor name changed too: National Government Services (NGS) became Wellpoint Federal on April 1, 2026. Older copies of the article still circulate online, so check the revision history.
Search the Medicare Coverage Database by code and state, and use the article in effect on your date of service. Our local coverage determination guide explains how LCDs and their billing articles fit together.
ICD-10 Codes That Support 70471
No MAC article we’ve found publishes a covered diagnosis list for 70471 itself. Treat the codes below as common ordering indications, and verify each one against your own contractor’s guidance and the documented findings before the claim goes out.
Table: Common ICD-10 indications for CTA head and neck (verify against your MAC’s guidance)
| ICD-10 | Description |
|---|---|
| G45.1 | Carotid artery syndrome (hemispheric) |
| G45.9 | Transient cerebral ischemic attack, unspecified |
| G46.0 | Middle cerebral artery syndrome |
| I63.031, I63.032 | Cerebral infarction due to thrombosis of right or left carotid artery |
| I63.231, I63.232 | Cerebral infarction due to unspecified occlusion or stenosis of right or left carotid arteries |
| I63.9 | Cerebral infarction, unspecified |
| I65.21, I65.22, I65.23 | Occlusion and stenosis of right, left, or bilateral carotid arteries |
| I67.1 | Cerebral aneurysm, nonruptured |
| I77.71 | Dissection of carotid artery |
| H53.131 to H53.133 | Sudden visual loss, right eye, left eye, or bilateral |
| R29.810 | Facial weakness |
| R47.01 | Aphasia |
| R47.81 | Slurred speech |
A headache code like R51.9 or a dizziness code like R42 seldom holds up alone without documented neurologic findings. If those denials are piling up, our guide to CO-50 medical necessity denials covers the appeal side. Every code above is valid in the fiscal year (FY) 2027 ICD-10-CM set.
What the Radiology Report Must Show
The J6 and JK perfusion article asks for a formal written report with identifying demographics, the interpreting provider’s name, the reason for the test, and retained reconstruction data. Apply that standard to 70471. Your order and report should cover these seven points:
- A signed order with the clinical indication
- A formal written report with patient demographics, the interpreting provider, and the reason for the study
- Findings for both territories: intracranial vessels and cervical carotid and vertebral arteries
- The contrast agent and the volume given
- A noncontrast series statement, if one was performed
- A postprocessing statement (MIP, MPR, or 3D), with reconstruction data retained
- Separate time stamps and reports for any separate-session CT head
Item 3 is the one auditors check first on a combined code. A report that discusses the circle of Willis but never mentions the cervical carotids supports 70496, whatever the order said. Keep the reconstruction data with the images so the postprocessing statement holds up.
Does CPT 70471 Need Prior Authorization?
Traditional Medicare doesn’t require prior authorization for 70471, but several commercial, exchange, and Medicaid plans do. UnitedHealthcare added 70471 to its outpatient radiology prior authorization program on September 1, 2026. Medicare Advantage rules are plan-specific, so verify each plan before scheduling.
UnitedHealthcare’s September 2026 Change
Per UnitedHealthcare’s radiology prior auth update, 70471 joined UHC’s outpatient radiology prior authorization program on September 1, 2026. The change covers UHC commercial, Community Plan, Individual Exchange, Oxford, and Rocky Mountain plans. It doesn’t apply to Medicare Advantage or Dual Special Needs Plans (D-SNP).
Four settings are exempt: emergency room, urgent care, observation, and inpatient. Stroke alerts in the ED fall outside the program, while scheduled outpatient CTAs fall inside it. UHC’s list also describes 70471 as “without and with contrast,” the same wording that sends coders hunting for a second code.
The Authorization Code Mismatch Trap
An authorization issued for 70496 or 70498 doesn’t cover a claim billed as 70471 by default. The usual pattern runs like this: the order went in as two studies, the scheduler got authorization per code, and coding billed 70471 the right way. Then the claim denies for missing authorization.
Prevention beats repair. Request authorization under 70471 whenever the order covers both regions. If a portal already issued authorization under the old codes, ask the plan or its radiology benefit manager, such as eviCore or Carelon, whether it crosswalks 70496 and 70498 to 70471 before you appeal.
If the plan says no crosswalk exists, you’re into a retro-authorization request and a formal appeal. Our guide to CO-197 authorization denials walks through both steps and the documentation each one needs.
Other Payers Adding 70471 to Prior Auth
Some Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS) plans and state Medicaid programs added 70471 during 2026, so check each plan’s current list at scheduling. Last year’s authorization matrix won’t show the change. Provider bulletins announce these additions, and somebody on your team has to read them.
Keeping a code-level authorization matrix current across every plan is steady, unglamorous work. Our prior authorization services team tracks these list changes so your scheduler doesn’t learn about them from a denial.
Why 70471 Claims Deny and How to Fix Them
Most 70471 CPT code denials in 2026 trace to six causes: same-session bundling, the old pair billed by habit, modifier splits, missing or mismatched authorization, unsupported diagnoses, and payers slow to load the new code. The claim adjustment reason code (CARC) on the remittance points to which one you’re facing.
Table: 70471 denial codes and fixes
| CARC | What triggered it on a 70471 claim | Fix | Prevention |
|---|---|---|---|
| CO-236 or CO-97 | 70450, a CT neck code, or 76376/76377 billed with 70471 for the same session | Remove the bundled line and send a corrected claim | Session-based charge rule |
| CO-97 or CO-234 | 70496 + 70498 billed for one combined study | Send a corrected claim as 70471 | Disable RIS auto-pairing |
| CO-4 | 26 and TC on one line, or a global charge billed by a split entity | Correct the modifier to match who did what | Billing-entity profile per facility |
| CO-197 (or CO-15, CO-284) | No authorization, or authorization issued under 70496 or 70498 | Request retro-authorization or a crosswalk, then appeal | Request authorization under 70471 |
| CO-50 with remark N115 | Diagnosis doesn’t support medical necessity under the cited policy | Appeal with the documented findings and the policy named on the remittance | Indication-to-code crosswalk |
| CO-16 or CO-181 | Payer system not yet loaded with 70471 | Payer bulletin, corrected claim, and provider rep escalation | Quarterly payer readiness check |
When the Payer Isn’t Ready for 70471
Some commercial and Medicaid plans lagged in loading 70471 in early 2026. They denied it as an invalid code or paid only a CT head rate. Fix it with the payer’s own code-update bulletin, a corrected claim, and an escalation to your provider representative.
Billing 70496 plus 70498 to get paid faster trades a denial for audit exposure. If the same CARC keeps repeating across one payer, you’re looking at a workflow problem, and that’s the pattern our denial management team maps first.
2026 Implementation Checklist for CPT 70471
Early 70471 denials tend to start in software, long before a coder touches the claim. Work through these seven steps once, and you’ll remove the usual causes behind them.
- Turn off RIS and charge-capture rules that pair 70496 and 70498 by default.
- Load 70471, +70472, and 70473 into the charge master, and retire 0042T.
- Rebuild stroke-protocol order sets around the imaging session instead of the order count.
- Train technologists and radiologists to document both territories, contrast, postprocessing, and time stamps.
- Update payer authorization matrices to request authorization under 70471.
- Track 70471 claims by CARC for 60 to 90 days after any payer change.
- Confirm which version of each MAC’s coverage article applies to your dates of service.
If you’d rather have someone check these seven items against your last 90 days of claims, an imaging billing audit shows where 70471 money is leaking before next quarter’s edits land.
Frequently Asked Questions About CTA Head and Neck Coding
What Is CPT 70471?
CPT 70471 is the 2026 Category I code for a combined CTA of the head and neck with contrast, including noncontrast images when performed and image postprocessing. It replaced billing 70496 plus 70498 for one study.
The single-region codes didn’t go away. 70496 still covers a CTA of the head alone, and 70498 still covers a CTA of the neck alone. Report 70471 when the scan covers both regions in the same session, and check the report before the order.
What Is the CPT Code for CTA Head and Neck?
The CTA head and neck CPT code is 70471 when one session covers both regions. Before 2026, a search for the CPT code CTA head and neck returned a pair of codes, 70496 and 70498.
That pair still exists for single-region work. A CTA of the head alone reports as 70496, and a CTA of the neck alone reports as 70498. If the report documents both territories, the claim goes out as 70471, with any concurrent perfusion added as +70472.
Is 70471 Covered by Medicare?
Yes. Medicare covers 70471 under the Physician Fee Schedule when the documented diagnosis supports medical necessity. No LCD or billing article we’ve found covers 70471 alone.
Coverage depends on the diagnosis code and the report. The order needs a clinical indication, the report needs findings for both the intracranial and cervical vessels, and the ICD-10 code needs to match a finding the record documents.
How Much Does Medicare Pay for 70471 in 2026?
Medicare’s 2026 national global payment for 70471 is $376.76 before geographic adjustment, using the non-QP conversion factor of $33.4009. Qualifying APM participants get $378.64.
The professional component with modifier 26 pays $118.24, and the technical component with modifier TC pays $258.52. CMS doesn’t publish a separate facility rate for 70471. Your locality’s GPCI moves the final amount up or down, so check the CMS lookup tool for your area.
Does 70471 Have a Global Period?
No. 70471 carries a global period of XXX, so global surgery rules don’t apply. The code has no preoperative or postoperative days built in.
Each study bills on its own date of service. The multiple procedure payment reduction can still apply when 70471 runs in the same session as another advanced imaging study for the same patient. In that case, CMS reduces the lower-valued study’s technical and professional payments.
What Modifier Is Used With CPT Code 70471?
Use modifier 26 for the interpretation and modifier TC for the technical component. If one entity performs and reads the study, bill 70471 with no modifier.
Modifiers 50, RT, and LT don’t apply, since the code already covers both sides of the head and neck. XE or 59 belongs on another code, such as a CT head, performed in a documented separate encounter. Payer acceptance of XE varies, so check before you rely on it.
What Is the Difference Between 70471 and 70473?
70471 is a CTA of the head and neck, while CPT 70473 is CT cerebral perfusion analysis performed without a concurrent CT or CTA.
The two don’t go on the same session claim. If perfusion runs with the CTA, the perfusion add-on is +70472, reported with 70471 as its primary code. CTA shows the vessels, and perfusion shows blood flow in the brain tissue those vessels feed.
Are 70496 and 70498 Still Valid CPT Codes in 2026?
Yes. Both remain valid for single-region studies in 2026, and only a same-session CTA of the head and neck moves to 70471 instead.
The 70496 CPT code is the CTA head CPT code, also searched as the CTA brain CPT code. Per the 70498 CPT description, it’s the CTA neck CPT code for the cervical vessels. Use either one when the report documents one region and nothing more.
Getting CPT 70471 Claims Paid the First Time
Three decisions settle a 70471 claim: whether both regions ran in one session, what else went on the claim, and whose authorization and diagnosis rules apply. None of it is exotic coding. It slips when nobody owns the imaging line from scheduling to remittance.
If that sounds like your practice, One O Seven RCM runs the full revenue cycle for imaging groups. Our specialty radiology billing coders already build these session rules into charge entry, and a review of your recent CTA claims is an easy place to start.
Sources
- AMA: CPT 2026 code set release
- Federal Register: CY 2026 Physician Fee Schedule final rule
- AHRA: Operational considerations of the CTA head and neck coding changes
- CMS: Medicare NCCI procedure-to-procedure (PTP) edits
- CMS: Physician Fee Schedule Look-Up Tool
- ACR: CY 2026 HOPPS final rule summary
- CMS Medicare Coverage Database: Billing and Coding Article A58152 (Wellpoint Federal, formerly NGS)
- UnitedHealthcare: Radiology prior authorization update
