# 70544 and 70553 unbundled???



## Shay2025 (Jan 9, 2012)

A provider is billing for a 70544-26,59 and 70553-26 for the same pt on the same day. CCI edits say that these codes are bundled together. can these be unbundled?


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## jmcpolin (Jan 9, 2012)

Yes you can bill both because the brain MRI looks at the struture of the brain and the MRA is focusing on the vasculature.  I have been told by Radiologists that the MRI is used more to check for a bleed or stroke vs the MRA.  Our protocl has been if they are doing the exam for "stroke protocol"  we bill the MRI alone.


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## donnajrichmond (Jan 9, 2012)

If both are ordered and performed and medically necessary both can be coded.  Documentation must be clear that there were 2 separate technical exams - not one set of images that was interpreted as an MRI and then reformatted for MRA.  See the CMS NCCI Policy Manual, Chapter 9; and ACR Coding Source Q & A.


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## Shay2025 (Jan 9, 2012)

thanks everyone


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