Computed tomography, soft tissue neck; without contrast material

CPT 70490 is the billing code for "Computed tomography, soft tissue neck; without contrast material". For CT soft tissue neck without contrast

Medicare pays approximately $147.82 for CPT 70490 (national average). Actual payment varies by geographic location due to GPCI adjustments. Hospital and commercial insurance rates are typically 2-4x higher than Medicare rates.

CPT 70490 has a total RVU of 9.41, broken down as: Work RVU 1.10, Practice Expense RVU 8.20, and Malpractice RVU 0.11. RVUs (Relative Value Units) determine Medicare reimbursement rates.

Key documentation requirements for CPT 70490 include: Indication for CT neck; Without contrast; Findings and interpretation; Comparison to prior studies if available. Missing or incomplete documentation is a leading cause of claim denials for this code.

Bundling considerations for CPT 70490: Includes CT soft tissue neck without contrast. Includes interpretation and report Use an NCCI bundling checker to verify specific code combinations before billing.

Common modifiers for CPT 70490 include: 26 (Professional component only (interpretation)), TC (Technical component only (equipment/staff)), 59 (Distinct procedural service if performed separately). Modifiers indicate special circumstances and can affect reimbursement or prevent claim denials.

The typical time requirement for CPT 70490 is 15-20 minutes typical procedure time. Time-based codes require documentation of the actual time spent providing the service.