CPT 74177: CT scan of abdomen and pelvis with contrast. What Medicare pays and what to ask
A CT of the abdomen and pelvis is one of the biggest lines on many ER bills. Here is what 74177 covers and the Medicare rate.
What this code means
CPT 74177 is a CT scan of the abdomen and pelvis done with contrast dye.
It is often used in the ER to look for causes of abdominal pain.
Why the bill can be much higher than the Medicare rate
The contrast material is often billed on its own line, in addition to the scan.
The Medicare rate is the global amount, covering the scan and the radiologist's reading. Bills often split them, so compare the total of the hospital and the radiology group.
A CT scan is often one of the largest lines on a hospital bill, which is why it is worth a detailed question.
| If a line is billed at | It would be |
|---|---|
| 5x the Medicare rate | $1,501.35 |
| 10x the Medicare rate | $3,002.70 |
| 20x the Medicare rate | $6,005.40 |
The Medicare rate is a published benchmark, not a legal ceiling on what a provider may charge. Our free scan flags a line as worth a closer look when it is billed at more than 10 times the Medicare rate.
Questions worth asking before you pay
- Was the scan done with contrast, and is the contrast billed separately?
- Is the radiologist's reading billed apart from the hospital charge?
- Is the scan billed once for this visit?
Check every line against the official Medicare rates in about a minute. The scan is free.
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Source: Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (CMS, July 2026 release), national payment amount, non-facility setting. Last updated October 2026. This page is general information, not legal or medical advice. Rates change each year and a hospital bill can include charges that the benchmark does not cover.