Magnetic resonance angiography of the chest vessels, excluding the heart muscle, performed with or without contrast.
- Medicare
- $334.34
- Work RVU
- 1.76
- Global, days
- Region
- Other
Documentation requirements
What must appear in the operative or office note to support the claim.
Source · Editorial brief grounded in 3 cited references ↓
- Specific vascular indication, such as suspected subclavian compression
- Reason MRA was chosen over CTA when relevant
- MRI safety screening
- ABN when Medicare coverage is uncertain
- Signed report
Applicable modifiers
Modifiers commonly billed with this code.
Source · AMA CPT modifier descriptors · CMS NCCI Policy Manual
What this code covers
Source · Editorial summary grounded in 3 cited references ↓
71555 is an MR angiogram of the chest vessels, such as the aorta and its branches, with or without contrast. It does not cover cardiac imaging. The CMS status indicator for this code is R, which means Medicare covers it only in restricted circumstances.
Orthopedic practices rarely touch this code. The most plausible overlap is thoracic outlet syndrome, where a shoulder or upper extremity surgeon is evaluating arm symptoms and the subclavian vessels need imaging. Vascular surgery or radiology usually owns the study.
The restricted status is the main billing issue. Medicare's MRA coverage determination limits chest MRA to specific indications, and anything outside those will deny. Commercial plans tend to require authorization and may prefer CTA. Before ordering, confirm the indication is covered and that the patient can have MRI.
RVU & reimbursement
Component RVUs and Medicare national rate. Actual payment varies by GPCI locality.
Source · CMS Physician Fee Schedule, RVU26A · January 2026
Work RVU vs. total RVU
The work RVU (1.76) is the surgeon's own effort — the figure physician pay and productivity targets are built on. The total RVU (10.01) adds practice overhead and malpractice, and is what drives the Medicare payment below.
| Work RVU | 1.76 |
| Practice expense RVU | 8.12 |
| Malpractice RVU | 0.13 |
| Total RVU | 10.01 |
| Medicare national rate | $334.34 |
| Global period | days |
Payment by site of service
Medicare pays different rates by setting. HOPD typically pays substantially more than ASC for the same procedure.
Source · CMS OPPS Addendum B·ASC HCPCS payment rates·2026
| Setting | Medicare rate (national) |
|---|---|
Office (PFS non-facility) Procedure performed in physician's office | $334.34 |
Common denial reasons
The recurring reasons claims for CPT 71555 get rejected.
Source · Editorial brief grounded in CMS NCCI edits, AAOS coding appeals, and cited references ↓
- Indication outside Medicare's restricted coverage
- No ABN when billing a Medicare patient for a non-covered indication
- Authorization not obtained
- Diagnosis is musculoskeletal pain with no vascular concern
- Billed for cardiac imaging, which uses other codes
Frequently asked questions
Source · Generated from the editorial pipeline, verified against 3 cited references ↓
01What does status indicator R mean for 71555?
02Is 71555 used for thoracic outlet syndrome?
03Should I get an ABN for 71555?
Sources & references
Editorial content was developed using the following public sources.
- 01CMS Physician Fee Schedule 2026
- 02cms.govhttps://www.cms.gov/medicare/payment/fee-schedules/physician
- 03Medicare National Coverage Determination 220.3, Magnetic Resonance Angiography
Mira Scribe
For suspected thoracic outlet syndrome, Mira Scribe records the positional symptoms and vascular exam findings, which give a vascular imaging referral its indication.
See how Mira captures CPT 71555 documentation