CPT 71046: Chest X-ray, 2 Views
Frontal and lateral chest radiographs for evaluation of thoracic structures including heart, lungs, mediastinum, and pleura.
Why CPT 71046 Claims Get Denied
Claims billed under CPT 71046 are frequently denied or downcoded for the following reasons. Understanding these patterns helps your practice reduce denial rates and recover revenue faster.
Medical necessity not documented
Over-ordering for routine follow-up
Unbundling with other imaging
Frequency limitations
Duplicate imaging
Billing Tips for CPT 71046
Document clear clinical indication for chest X-ray (cough, dyspnea, fever, etc.). Avoid routine ordering without clinical justification. Include radiology report in medical record. Document comparison with prior studies if available.
Documentation Requirements
To support a clean claim for CPT 71046, your clinical documentation should include:
Clinical indication documented in note
Patient positioning noted
Radiology report with findings
Interpretation by qualified radiologist
Comparison with prior films if available
Common Modifiers for CPT 71046
Reduce CPT 71046 Denials by 60%
RediClaim's pre-submission scrubber catches documentation gaps and coding errors before you submit, while the appeal generator handles denials that slip through.