CPT code 30100: Nasal biopsy, intranasal tissue sampling2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in California
Reports sampling of tissue inside the nose for diagnostic evaluation, such as an abnormal mucosal area or intranasal lesion requiring histopathologic examination.
Medicare pays $149.99–$189.60 for 30100 in the office in California, from Chico, CA to San Benito County, CA. Which amount applies depends on the service address.
Medicare allowed amount for participating (non-QP) physicians, before deductible, coinsurance and claim adjustments. Not a patient’s bill or a hospital charge.
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On this page 9 sections
What 30100 covers
An otolaryngologist typically obtains a small tissue sample from inside the nose when examination identifies abnormal mucosa or a lesion that needs diagnostic evaluation. The clinician may use biopsy forceps through the nostril, often in an office setting, and submit the specimen for pathologic examination. The service is tissue sampling, not removal of an entire polyp or therapeutic excision of a lesion.
Report 30100 when tissue is sampled for diagnosis; document the intranasal site, the abnormal finding, the sampling performed, and specimen submission. The 0-day global period includes same-day preoperative and postoperative care. 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% multiple-procedure reduction. Do not use modifier 50; CMS bilateral adjustment does not apply. Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery for this code, and co-surgeon and team-surgery billing 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 30100 pays more and less in California
The same RVUs, adjusted for each area’s costs. Open a locality for its calculation, history and nearby areas.
29 payment localities
$149.99 to $189.60
29 of 29 payment localities
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Bakersfield, CA | $150.37 | $62.51 |
| Chico, CA | $149.99 | $62.13 |
| El Centro, CA | $150.01 | $62.15 |
| Fresno, CA | $149.99 | $62.13 |
| Hanford, CA | $149.99 | $62.13 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $160.52 | $65.69 |
| Madera, CA | $149.99 | $62.13 |
| Marin County, CA | $185.40 | $72.38 |
| Merced, CA | $149.99 | $62.13 |
| Modesto, CA | $149.99 | $62.13 |
| Napa, CA | $174.86 | $69.21 |
| Oxnard, CA | $159.84 | $65.09 |
| Redding, CA | $149.99 | $62.13 |
| Rest of California | $149.99 | $62.13 |
| Riverside, CA | $151.40 | $63.54 |
| Sacramento, CA | $157.69 | $64.46 |
| Salinas, CA | $157.11 | $64.20 |
| San Benito County, CA | $189.60 | $74.00 |
| San Diego, CA | $161.04 | $65.16 |
| San Francisco, CA | $185.26 | $72.23 |
| San Luis Obispo, CA | $154.56 | $63.25 |
| Santa Clara County, CA | $188.99 | $73.40 |
| Santa Cruz, CA | $162.75 | $65.36 |
| Santa Maria, CA | $157.76 | $64.29 |
| Santa Rosa, CA | $164.41 | $65.97 |
| Stockton, CA | $149.99 | $62.13 |
| Vallejo, CA | $174.65 | $69.00 |
| Visalia, CA | $149.99 | $62.13 |
| Yuba City, CA | $149.99 | $62.13 |
How the 30100 rate is calculated
Each of 30100’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 · 30100
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work0.92
0.92 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense3.18
3.18 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice0.13
0.13 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
4.2300
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$141.29
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 30100
The CMS indicators that decide how 30100 is paid alongside other services.
CMS payment indicators · 30100
Nasal biopsy, intranasal tissue sampling
| Rule | CMS value | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Global period | 000 | Same-day global: pre- and post-op care on the day of the procedure is included. |
| Multiple procedures | 2 | Standard reduction: highest-valued procedure at 100%, others at 50%. |
| Bilateral (modifier 50) | 0 | The 150% bilateral adjustment doesn’t apply. |
| Assistant at surgery (80/81/82/AS) | 1 | Not paid (statutory restriction). |
| Co-surgeons (62) | 0 | Not permitted. |
| Team surgery (66) | 0 | Not permitted. |
| Professional/technical | 0 | Physician service: no professional/technical split. |
What modifiers do to the payment
Modifier 51 · payment effect
With and without the modifier
30100 without 51 · national office
$141.29
Nasal biopsy, intranasal tissue sampling
30100-51 · Second procedure: 50%
$70.65
When this isn’t the highest-valued procedure in the session, Medicare pays 50% of its fee schedule amount (the highest is paid at 100%).
30100 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
5 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 30117Intranasal lesion removalInternal approach
- 30100 reports tissue sampling for diagnosis. Use 30117 when the intranasal lesion is removed rather than sampled.
- 30118Nasal lesion removalExternal approach
- 30118 is for extensive intranasal lesion removal; 30100 is for taking a diagnostic tissue sample.
- 30110Nasal polypectomySimple removal
- 30110 reports removal of nasal polyp tissue. 30100 applies when tissue is sampled for diagnostic evaluation.
- 30115Nasal polypectomyExtensive removal
- 30115 reports extensive nasal polyp removal, not an intranasal biopsy.
30100 billing questions
When should 30100 be used instead of an intranasal lesion excision code?
Use 30100 when tissue is sampled for diagnosis. When the service removes or excises the lesion rather than taking a diagnostic sample, consider the applicable lesion-removal code.
Is removal of a nasal polyp reported as 30100?
Not when the service is removal of the polyp. Codes 30110 and 30115 describe nasal polyp removal; 30100 is for intranasal tissue sampling.
Can modifier 50 be appended for biopsies on both sides?
No. CMS bilateral adjustment does not apply to 30100, and modifier 50 is inappropriate for this code.
What documentation supports reporting 30100?
Document the intranasal site and abnormal finding, the tissue sampling performed, and the specimen submitted for diagnostic evaluation.
How are other procedures in the same session paid?
Under the standard multiple-procedure reduction, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and the other procedures are paid at 50% when performed in the same session.
Can an assistant surgeon or co-surgeon be billed for 30100?
Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery for this code. Co-surgeons and team surgery are not permitted.
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
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