CPT code 21685: Hyoid suspension, myotomy and advancement2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in West Virginia

In West Virginia, Medicare pays $856.22 for 21685 in a facility. There’s no office rate.

Check a contract rate as a % of Medicare · 21685 nationwide

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

What 21685 covers

An otolaryngologist performs this operation in the operating room, typically for obstructive sleep apnea associated with obstruction behind the tongue. The surgeon releases the hyoid through myotomy and suspends it forward, commonly securing it to the thyroid cartilage to enlarge the hypopharyngeal airway. It may be one part of multilevel airway surgery, including a palate procedure, when the operative plan addresses obstruction at more than one level.

Report the service when the operative documentation supports both the hyoid myotomy and suspension; document the indication, airway findings, and steps performed. CMS assigns a 90-day major-surgery global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and related postoperative care through day 90. When multiple procedures are performed in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are subject to the standard 50% reduction. Modifier 50 is inappropriate for this code. An assistant at surgery may be paid; co-surgeon payment requires supporting documentation, and team surgery is 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.

How West Virginia compares for 21685

Across 109 of 109 payment localities, the facility rate for 21685 runs from $785.38 in Arkansas to $1,096.55 in Alaska. West Virginia pays $856.22. The RVUs are the same everywhere; the geographic indexes change the dollars.

Every other payment area

21685 rates by state

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

See 21685 in every payment locality

How the 21685 rate is calculated

Each of 21685’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.

Payment rules and modifiers for 21685

21685 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.

What modifiers do to the payment

When to use modifier 51

Codes related to 21685

Related codes aren’t interchangeable: bill the code that matches the service performed.

How 21685 has changed in West Virginia

Price 21685 for an earlier date of service

Where the West Virginia rate applies

West Virginia is a Medicare payment area, not a city. Our Census mapping connects it to 439 cities and communities in West Virginia. Some span more than one payment area; confirm with the service ZIP.

• 21685 in Accoville
• 21685 in Addison (Webster Springs)
• 21685 in Adrian
• 21685 in Albright
• 21685 in Alderson
• 21685 in Alum Creek
• 21685 in Amherstdale
• 21685 in Anawalt

Browse all communities in West Virginia

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

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates