CPT code 30520: Septoplasty, septal deviation correction2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in Texas
Septoplasty corrects a deviated nasal septum causing obstruction or other documented symptoms, without the broader nasal reshaping included in rhinoplasty.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 30520 in Texas.
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 30520 covers
CPT 30520 describes surgery to correct a deviated nasal septum, generally by reshaping, repositioning, or removing obstructing septal cartilage or bone. Otolaryngologists and facial plastic surgeons commonly perform it for symptomatic nasal obstruction related to septal deviation, including deviation after trauma. The operation may take place in a hospital or ambulatory surgery setting.
Report the service when the operative work addresses the septum itself; document the deviation, symptoms or functional problem, and corrective work performed. A separate inferior turbinate procedure, such as 30140, may be reported when independently performed and documented. The 90-day global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. When multiple procedures occur in one session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and others at 50%. Modifier 50 is inappropriate. Assistant-at-surgery payment is statutorily restricted, and 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 30520 pays more and less in Texas
The same RVUs, adjusted for each area’s costs. Open a locality for its calculation, history and nearby areas.
8 of 8 payment localities
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Austin, TX | Unavailable | $630.23 |
| Beaumont, TX | Unavailable | $579.22 |
| Brazoria, TX | Unavailable | $604.48 |
| Dallas, TX | Unavailable | $609.10 |
| Fort Worth, TX | Unavailable | $606.02 |
| Galveston, TX | Unavailable | $606.80 |
| Houston, TX | Unavailable | $625.29 |
| Rest of Texas | Unavailable | $592.05 |
How the 30520 rate is calculated
Each of 30520’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 · 30520
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work6.83
6.83 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense10.52
10.52 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice1.01
1.01 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
18.3600
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$613.24
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 30520
30520 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 30520
Septoplasty, septal deviation correction
| Rule | CMS value | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Global period | 090 | Major surgery: the day before, the day of, and 90 days after are 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. |
| Split (54/55/56) | 0.10/0.76/0.14 | Share of the payment for pre-op, the procedure itself, and post-op care. |
Global surgery period · 30520
Septoplasty, septal deviation correction
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.
Pre-op dayGlobal period
What modifiers do to the payment
Modifier 51 · payment effect
With and without the modifier
30520 without 51 · national facility
$613.24
Septoplasty, septal deviation correction
30520-51 · Second procedure: 50%
$306.62
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%).
30520 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
4 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 30420RhinoplastyWith major septal repair
- CPT 30420 includes major septal repair as part of primary rhinoplasty. Use 30520 for septal correction without that broader rhinoplasty service.
- 30140Turbinate reductionSubmucosal tissue reduction
- CPT 30140 addresses the inferior turbinate, not the septum. It may be separately reported with 30520 when both procedures are performed and documented.
- 30540Choanal atresia repairIntranasal approach
- CPT 30540 repairs choanal atresia, a congenital posterior nasal passage obstruction; 30520 corrects a deviated septum.
30520 billing questions
When is 30520 used instead of 30420?
Use 30520 for septal correction performed as the septal operation. CPT 30420 describes primary rhinoplasty that includes major septal repair; when that broader operation is performed, the septal work is included in that code.
Can 30520 be reported with inferior turbinate surgery?
It may be reported with 30140 when the surgeon performs a distinct submucous resection of the inferior turbinate in addition to septal correction. Document the separate work; same-session multiple-procedure payment reduction applies.
Should modifier 50 be appended for bilateral nasal obstruction?
No. CMS identifies bilateral adjustment as inappropriate for 30520. The septum is midline, so report the septal repair once rather than as a bilateral service.
What postoperative care is included?
The 90-day global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. Related routine follow-up during that period is part of the surgical service.
What should the operative documentation establish?
Document the septal deviation and its clinical significance, along with the corrective septal work performed. If another nasal procedure is billed separately, the record should support that distinct procedure as well.
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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