CPT code 21031: Exostosis removal, mandible2026 Medicare rate & RVUs

Removal of a bony exostosis of the mandible, such as a mandibular torus, when excision is performed by an oral surgeon or other qualified clinician.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities222 Medicare services in 2024

Medicare pays $389.45 for 21031 nationally in the office and $253.18 in a hospital or facility. Local office rates run $344.77–$512.87.

Medicare rate · 21031

Exostosis removal, mandible

Office or facility?

Work RVUs
3.22
Total RVUs
11.66
Global days
090

National rate · 2026

$389.45

Office setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 21031 →Billed by an NP, PA or therapist? →

Medicare allowed amount for participating (non-QP) physicians, before deductible, coinsurance and claim adjustments. Not a patient’s bill or a hospital charge.

Your location

Medicare pays by the payment locality where the service is performed.

On this page 10 sections
  1. Medicare rate
  2. What 21031 covers
  3. By payment locality
  4. Rate map
  5. How it’s calculated
  6. Payment rules
  7. Similar codes
  8. Related codes
  9. Billing questions
  10. Sources

What 21031 covers

This service removes a localized bony prominence from the mandible, commonly a mandibular torus that interferes with denture placement, oral hygiene, or function. An oral and maxillofacial surgeon or dentist typically performs the intraoral procedure in an office or surgical facility. Documentation should identify the mandibular site, the exostosis, and the clinical reason for removal.

Report this code for removal of a mandibular exostosis, not for excision of a different jaw lesion or removal of a maxillary torus. The code has a 90-day global period: the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care are included. When multiple procedures occur in one session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures at 50%. For bilateral work, modifier 50 is paid at 150%. Assistant-at-surgery services are not paid; co-surgeons and team surgery are not permitted.

This summary was written with AI assistance from CMS physician fee schedule data and checked against the CMS billing rules shown here. Rates on this page come directly from CMS files.

Where 21031 pays more and less

The same RVUs, adjusted for each area’s costs. Open a locality for its calculation, history and nearby areas.

109 payment localities

$344.77 to $512.87

$344.77$428.82$512.87
One dot per payment locality, office / nonfacility. Hover a dot to see the locality; select it to open that rate.

109 of 109 payment localities

21031 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
Alabama$349.78$230.54
Alaska$454.17$309.04
Arizona$379.09$247.04
Arkansas$344.77$227.70
Atlanta, GA$396.94$258.49
Austin, TX$403.55$259.37
Bakersfield, CA$411.57$262.21
Baltimore area, MD$414.11$267.89
Beaumont, TX$364.36$240.35
Brazoria, TX$384.75$249.70

21031 rates by state

Office rate range in each state. Select a state to see its payment localities.

Explore a state

Local rates. Clear comparisons.

Hover or focus a tile to see its rate range. Select it to open the state’s fee schedule.

$344.77

$461.59

Color shows the midpoint of each state’s locality range.

View every state and territory as a table
21031 office rate range by state
State / territoryOffice rate rangeLocalities
AK$454.171
AL$349.781
AR$344.771
AZ$379.091
CA$410.30–$512.8729
CO$404.721
CT$415.221
DC$444.511
DE$385.331
FL$384.91–$422.383
GA$363.32–$396.942
GU$420.061
HI$420.061
IA$358.051
ID$360.481
IL$374.26–$410.144
IN$362.541
KS$356.651
KY$358.541
LA$358.08–$375.622
MA$402.44–$444.192
MD$392.56–$444.513
ME$362.62–$381.752
MI$368.03–$389.942
MN$387.101
MO$352.16–$376.643
MS$348.521
MT$389.431
NC$366.341
ND$380.921
NE$359.921
NH$398.631
NJ$419.76–$440.012
NM$370.141
NV$387.321
NY$371.81–$459.215
OH$366.291
OK$357.621
OR$384.12–$417.202
PA$366.73–$405.132
PR$392.181
RI$398.781
SC$366.971
SD$379.921
TN$358.461
TX$364.36–$403.558
UT$371.941
VA$380.68–$444.512
VI$392.181
VT$379.681
WA$401.60–$452.942
WI$368.281
WV$360.601
WY$385.721

How the 21031 rate is calculated

Each of 21031’s three RVUs is multiplied by a geographic index (GPCI) for the payment locality, added up, and multiplied by the conversion factor. Drag the indexes or enter a ZIP to see what moves the rate.

How the rate is built · 21031

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Office or facility?

Work3.22

3.22 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Practice expense8.01

8.01 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Malpractice0.43

0.43 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Adjusted RVUs

11.6600

Conversion factor

$33.4009

Medicare rate

$389.45

Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.

Payment rules and modifiers for 21031

21031 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.

CMS payment indicators · 21031

Exostosis removal, mandible

RuleCMS valueWhat it means
Global period090Major surgery: the day before, the day of, and 90 days after are included.
Multiple procedures2Standard reduction: highest-valued procedure at 100%, others at 50%.
Bilateral (modifier 50)1Bilateral with modifier 50 pays 150% of the fee schedule amount.
Assistant at surgery (80/81/82/AS)1Not paid (statutory restriction).
Co-surgeons (62)0Not permitted.
Team surgery (66)0Not permitted.
Professional/technical0Physician service: no professional/technical split.
Split (54/55/56)0.10/0.69/0.21Share of the payment for pre-op, the procedure itself, and post-op care.

Global surgery period · 21031

Exostosis removal, mandible

90-day global period ends

Dec 30, 2026

Covers Sep 30, 2026 through Dec 30, 2026 (92 days, including the day before surgery).

Visit on Oct 31, 2026

Day 30 of the 90-day post-op period: related follow-up care is included in the surgical payment.

  • 24Unrelated E/M visit by the same physician
  • 79Unrelated procedure (starts its own global period)
  • 58Staged, more extensive, or therapy procedure that was planned
  • 78Unplanned return to the operating room for a related complication
SurgeryVisit
Sep 23, 2026Jan 10, 2027

Pre-op dayGlobal period

What modifiers do to the payment

Modifier 50 · payment effect

With and without the modifier

21031 without 50 · national office

$389.45

Exostosis removal, mandible

21031-50 · Bilateral: 150%

$584.18

Both sides on one line with modifier 50 are paid at 150% of the fee schedule amount (subject to multiple-procedure rules with other procedures).

When to use modifier 50

21031 compared with similar codes

Compare codes · National

4 codes, side by side

Office or facility?

  • 21031

    Exostosis removal, mandible3.22 wRVU

    $389.45

  • 21032

    Maxillary exostosis, maxilla3.26 wRVU

    $383.78−$5.67

  • 21025

    Bone excision, mandible9.78 wRVU

    $840.03+$450.58

  • 21040

    Mandibular lesion excision, intraoral approach4.79 wRVU

    $479.97+$90.52

How to choose

21032Maxillary exostosisMaxilla
Use 21031 for a mandibular exostosis and 21032 for a maxillary torus; the jaw site distinguishes the services.
21025Bone excisionMandible
21031 addresses a mandibular exostosis. 21025 is for excision of lower-jaw bone, not specifically removal of an exostosis.
21040Mandibular lesion excisionIntraoral approach
Choose 21040 for excision of a mandibular lesion. Choose 21031 when the documented target is an exostosis or torus.

21031 billing questions

How is this code different from removal of a maxillary torus?

This code is for an exostosis of the mandible. Use 21032 for removal of a maxillary torus.

When would a mandibular bone-lesion code be more appropriate?

Use a lesion-excision code when the target is a mandibular lesion rather than a bony exostosis or torus. Document the nature and location of the condition being removed.

Does the code include related postoperative care?

Yes. Its 90-day global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care.

How is bilateral removal handled?

CMS identifies the procedure as bilateral; modifier 50 is paid at 150%. Document the exostoses on both sides.

Can an assistant or co-surgeon be reported?

Assistant-at-surgery services are not paid for this code. Co-surgeons and team surgery are not permitted.

What happens when another procedure is performed in the same session?

Under the standard multiple procedure reduction, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and the other procedure or procedures at 50%.

Where these rates come from

FeeBase calculates base physician payments from CMS work, practice-expense and malpractice RVUs, adjusted by each locality’s geographic indexes and the conversion factor. Services without a published rate are labeled, never given a made-up amount. Amounts are Medicare allowed amounts before claim adjustments: not a patient’s bill or a commercial rate.

CMS RVU26D · effective Oct 1, 2026 through the day before Jan 1, 2027

Show the CMS file lines behind this rate
RVUs for 21031PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 1,847 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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