CPT
70450 — CT scan of head/brain without contrast
Same scan can cost 5x more at a hospital than at an imaging center.
Imaging
74019 — Radiologic examination, abdomen; 2 views
An abdominal X-ray taken from two different angles, typically a supine (lying flat) and an upright or decubitus view, providing more diagnostic information for evaluating bowel obstruction, air-fluid levels, or abdomi...
- Typical setting: Hospital, imaging center, urgent care
- National avg charge (illustrative): $40–$85 Medicare allowed; $60–$220 commercial; varies by region
- Most-disputed reason: Billing 74019 (2 views) when only one view was obtained — should be 74018; documentation of view count is essential
What it means
What 74019 actually means
An abdominal X-ray taken from two different angles, typically a supine (lying flat) and an upright or decubitus view, providing more diagnostic information for evaluating bowel obstruction, air-fluid levels, or abdominal masses. It is a step up in diagnostic detail from a single-view study.
Common errors with this code
What goes wrong on real bills.
Most bills that look correct still contain at least one of these issues. Up to 49% of medical bills contain errors (CFPB).
- Billing 74019 (2 views) when only one view was obtained — should be 74018; documentation of view count is essential
- Billing 74019 together with 74021 (3+ views) when the higher view-count code covers the entire study
- Billing abdominal X-rays together with upright chest X-rays as two separate studies when a combined acute abdominal series (74022) would be the appropriate code
If you see 74019 on your bill
Three steps before paying.
1. Get the itemized bill. If your statement only shows a summary, request the CPT-level itemized bill before paying. Generate the request language →
2. Cross-check against the EOB. Compare what your insurer's Explanation of Benefits says you owe versus what the hospital is asking. They disagree more often than people think. Read the bill-vs-EOB guide →
3. Run a free Bill Scan. Upload the bill (and EOB if you have it) and BillBusted will flag the most likely issues with this specific code in your specific state. Run free scan →
Related codes
Other codes in this category.
People who land on 74019 often also see these adjacent codes on the same bill.
CPT
70470 — CT head/brain with and without contrast
If contrast wasn't given, 70470 is the wrong code.
CPT
70486 — CT maxillofacial area; without contrast material
Imaging — verify professional + technical components weren't double-billed.
CPT
70551 — MRI brain without contrast
Same scan can be 5x cheaper at a freestanding imaging center.
CPT
71045 — Chest X-ray, single view
Same image can cost 10x more at a hospital than a freestanding imaging center.
CPT
71046 — Chest X-ray, two views (PA + lateral)
Two-view CXR is standard. Watch the price gap between hospital and freestanding.
Related BillBusted guides
Plain-English reads if you see 74019 on a bill.
74019 FAQ
Plain-English answers.
What does 74019 usually cost?
$40–$85 Medicare allowed; $60–$220 commercial; varies by region. Costs vary by region, payer contract, and whether the service was performed in a hospital outpatient department (which adds a facility fee) versus a free-standing clinic.
What's the most common billing error on 74019?
Billing 74019 (2 views) when only one view was obtained — should be 74018; documentation of view count is essential
What should I do if I see 74019 on my bill?
Request the itemized bill and the matching EOB from your insurer. Compare the units/quantity billed against what you actually received. Run a free BillBusted scan to flag the most likely errors specific to 74019 before paying.
Don't pay 74019 blindly.
The free scan tells you in under 60 seconds whether this charge looks reasonable for your situation.