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Billing code 77299 · Radiology

77299 Medicaid reimbursement rate by state (2026)

Imaging and radiology. Medicaid pays a median of $77.80 for 77299 across 6 states, from $7.00 in Minnesota to $289.47 in Montana.

Data as of Oct 5, 20266 statesEvery rate links to its official source

States publishing
6
National median
$77.80units vary by state
Lowest
$7.00Minnesota
Highest
$289.47Montana
Answer

What does Medicaid pay for 77299?

6 state Medicaid programs publish a fee-for-service rate for 77299. The national median is $77.80 (units differ between states). Montana pays the most, $289.47, and Minnesota the least, $7.00 per base unit, a 41.4x spread.

State ranking

77299 rate by state: highest, middle and lowest

One like-for-like fee-for-service rate per state, ranked. The workspace lists all 6 states with every variant, modifier and effective date.

#StateMedicaid rateUnitPer hourManaged-care plans% of Medicare
1Montana Source · since 2025-07-01$289.47——Not classified—
2Louisiana Source · since 1995-07-07$139.37——Plans must pay at least this—
3Missouri Source · since 2022-07-01$80.60——Plans must pay at least this—
6Minnesota Source · since 2025-01-01$7.00base unit—Plans negotiate; applies out of network—
See all 6 states for 77299 — start free

2 more states, with every modifier and provider-type variant, rate history and the plan rule in each state. 14-day free trial, no credit card.

  • Source for every rate
  • Full rate history
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Rates are per the unit shown for each state; units can differ between states. Medicare amounts are computed from the CMS relative value file and locality cost indices; states with several Medicare localities show a range. Confirm rates with the payer before billing.

Track 77299 in your states. Get an alert when any state changes it, with every variant and the managed-care rule.
Guide

How to read this table

  • Order. States are listed from the highest published rate to the lowest. No single unit is shared by 8 or more states for 77299, so the order is by published amount and is not a like-for-like rank.
  • Medicaid rate. The most the state's fee-for-service program pays for one unit, as published. 4 of the 6 states list more than one rate for 77299, by modifier, provider type or setting; the table shows the one that matches the provider level and setting used across states, without add-ons.
  • Unit. Of the 6 states, 1 publish 77299 per percent of billed charges and 1 per base unit, and 4 schedules print no unit at all (a flat amount per service).
  • Per hour. 77299 is not billed in time units in these states, so no hourly figure is shown.
  • Managed-care plans. The rule the state sets for its plans on this rate. What each rule means is explained below.
  • % of Medicare. No Medicare physician fee schedule amount is on file for 77299, so there is no percentage.
  • Source and date. Each Source link opens the state's own document; “since” is the date the rate took effect.
Context

Why 77299 rates differ between states

Published rates for 77299 run from $7.00 in Minnesota to $289.47 in Montana. The two publish it in different units (no unit printed versus base unit), so part of that gap is the unit rather than the price. Half the states pay more than the median of $77.80 and half pay less. The usual reasons for a spread like this in radiology rates:

  • States that benchmark imaging to Medicare use different percentages and different Medicare years.
  • Advanced imaging such as CT, MRI and PET is often under separate pricing and prior-authorization policies that vary from state to state.
  • Imaging fees are split into a professional component (the reading) and a technical component (the equipment and staff), and states publish one, the other or a global amount.

Timing matters too. None of the states changed its rate for 77299 in 2026, while 4 states still pay a rate that took effect in 2022 or earlier. A state that has not updated its rate in years will drift down the ranking as others raise theirs.

Managed care

What managed-care plans pay for 77299

Most Medicaid members are in managed-care plans, and plans don't publish their provider fee schedules. For 77299, the public signal is the rule each state sets for its plans, recorded on each rate above.

In 3 states, the published rate binds plans: a floor, a pass-through or a state-set rate. In 2 states, plans negotiate and the published rate is a benchmark or out-of-network default. The rule for the remaining 1 state is not classified yet.

  • Plans must pay at least the published rate (3 states). The published rate is your floor. Negotiate up from it, and if a plan pays less, the contract provision is the basis for a payment dispute.
  • Plans negotiate; the published rate applies out of network (2 states). In-network rates can be above or below the published rate. The published rate is the benchmark both sides know, and the fallback if no contract is signed.

Plan-negotiated rates are never estimated here. To see the rule and its citation for a particular state, open that state's managed-care page, for example Montana managed care.

Billing

Units and billing for 77299

77299 is a CPT radiology code in the radiology line, billed mostly by radiology groups, imaging centers and hospitals. Imaging codes are paid per study and split into a professional component (the reading, modifier 26) and a technical component (the equipment and staff, modifier TC). A global amount covers both.

Imaging is billed per study, with modifier 26 for the professional component and TC for the technical component; a claim without either is paid at the global amount where the state publishes one. Contrast agents and radiopharmaceuticals are usually billed separately under their own codes.

Before billing, confirm the rate, unit and any modifier with the state's current schedule or the plan: the amounts here are as published, not a guarantee of payment.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

What does Medicaid pay for 77299?

It depends on the state. Of the 6 states with a published fee-for-service rate, the median is $77.80. Montana pays the most ($289.47) and Minnesota the least ($7.00 per base unit).

Which state pays the highest Medicaid rate for 77299?

Montana, at $289.47, effective 2025-07-01.

Which state pays the lowest Medicaid rate for 77299?

Minnesota, at $7.00 per base unit, effective 2025-01-01. It publishes the code in a different unit from Montana, so compare per unit with care.

What unit is 77299 billed in?

Of the 6 states, 1 publish 77299 per percent of billed charges and 1 per base unit, and 4 schedules print no unit at all (a flat amount per service).

Do managed-care plans pay the same rate for 77299?

Not necessarily. In 3 states, the published rate binds plans: a floor, a pass-through or a state-set rate. In 2 states, plans negotiate and the published rate is a benchmark or out-of-network default. The rule for the remaining 1 state is not classified yet. Each rule is cited to the plan contract, statute or notice in the workspace.