The Rates plan
$29/mo7-day free trialThe table on this page is a common-procedure sample. The full California lab & imaging schedule has 2,198 codes.
- Every code on all 51 published schedules
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Published codes
2,198
Lab & Imaging procedures on the 2026 schedule
Median % of Medicare
86.1%
vs national Medicare, GPCI-neutral
Effective vintage
2026
latest effective year on the schedule
Common lab & imaging procedures and what California Medicaid pays
A curated sample of recognizable procedures from the 2,198-code schedule. Rates are the state's published fee-for-service amounts; the percentage compares each rate with the national Medicare amount for the same code.
| Code | Procedure | California rate | % of Medicare |
|---|---|---|---|
| 70110 | Jaw (mandible) X-ray, 4 or more views | $34.04 | 79% |
| 70140 | Facial bone X-ray, under 3 views | $25.98 | 81.9% |
| 70160 | Nasal bone X-ray | $24.79 | 66.3% |
| 70220 | Sinus X-ray, 3 or more views | $33.35 | 88.4% |
| 70360 | Neck soft tissue X-ray | $17.30 | 55.7% |
| 70450 | CT scan of the head without contrast | $101.27 | 95% |
| 70480 | CT scan of the eye socket or inner ear without contrast | $152.34 | 96.2% |
| 70486 | CT scan of the face and sinuses without contrast | $123.35 | 96.2% |
| 70491 | CT scan of neck soft tissue with contrast | $178.55 | 97.4% |
| 70551 | MRI of the brain without contrast | $190.16 | 97.3% |
| 70553 | MRI of the brain without then with contrast | $311.06 | 98.1% |
| 71045 | Chest X-ray, 1 view | $17.65 | 69.5% |
| 71046 | Chest X-ray, 2 views | $27.47 | 83.1% |
| 71047 | Chest X-ray, 3 views | $35.26 | 85.8% |
| 71048 | Chest X-ray, 4 or more views | $37.78 | 83.8% |
| 71100 | Rib X-ray, one side | $27.16 | 75.3% |
| 71250 | CT scan of the chest without contrast | $127.32 | 96% |
| 71260 | CT scan of the chest with contrast | $160.94 | 96.6% |
| 71275 | CT angiography of the chest | $270.91 | 96.6% |
| 72040 | Neck (cervical) spine X-ray, 2-3 views | $25.98 | 65.4% |
| 72070 | Mid-back (thoracic) spine X-ray, 2 views | $28.04 | 84.8% |
| 72100 | Lower back (lumbar) spine X-ray, 2-3 views | $30.29 | 75% |
| 72110 | Lower back (lumbar) spine X-ray, 4 or more views | $43.85 | 82.1% |
| 72125 | CT scan of the neck (cervical) spine without contrast | $124.99 | 95.7% |
| 72131 | CT scan of the lower (lumbar) spine without contrast | $124.34 | 95.7% |
Published Medicaid fee-for-service schedule amounts, not a coverage or eligibility guarantee. Managed-care plan rates can differ. Where no prior-authorization flag is shown, the state does not publish one. Rows marked * show the schedule's representative published variant.
More California Medicaid fee schedules
- California physician fee schedule · 6,318 codes
- California dme & supplies fee schedule · 1,339 codes
- California drugs fee schedule · 804 codes
- California other services fee schedule · 293 codes
- California anesthesia fee schedule · 267 codes
- California vision fee schedule · 128 codes
Lab & Imaging rates in neighboring states
Frequently asked questions
What does California Medicaid pay for laboratory tests and imaging?
California Medicaid publishes 2,198 lab & imaging procedure rates effective 2026, paying a median 86.1% of the national Medicare amount for the same services. The schedule covers blood panels, urinalysis, X-rays, CT, MRI, and ultrasound. The table on this page shows published rates for common procedures; the complete all-codes schedule is available as a CSV download with a ProviderSignal Rates subscription.
How do California's lab & imaging rates compare with Medicare?
Across lab & imaging codes with a national Medicare comparator, California Medicaid pays a median 86.1% of the Medicare amount (GPCI-neutral national comparison). Individual codes vary widely, so check the per-code percentage in the table.
Do lab & imaging services need prior authorization in California?
California does not publish prior-authorization indicators on this fee schedule, so PA requirements must be confirmed through the state's provider manual or portal. Absence of a flag here means "not published", never "no PA required".
Where do these rates come from?
Directly from California's published Medicaid fee-for-service schedule (effective 2026), collected and normalized by ProviderSignal across all 50 states + DC. Rates are re-collected on a rolling schedule and this page updates automatically. Procedure descriptions are ProviderSignal's own plain-language labels or public-domain CMS text.
Get an email the next time California changes these rates.