CPT code 30545: Choanal repair, transpalatal approach2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in Texas
Surgical correction of congenital blockage at the back of the nasal passage through a transpalatal approach, rather than an intranasal repair.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 30545 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 30545 covers
This operation corrects choanal atresia, a congenital blockage between the nasal cavity and throat, by reaching the obstructed posterior nasal airway through the palate. An otolaryngologist typically performs it in an operating room when the surgeon selects this approach to open the blocked passage. Choanal atresia can cause serious breathing difficulty in newborns, particularly when both sides are blocked; the diagnosis and operative findings establish the condition being treated.
Report 30545 for the transpalatal repair, not for an intranasal repair. The operative report should identify the atresia, the approach used, and the repair performed. Medicare assigns a 90-day global period: the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care are included. If 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. Bilateral adjustment is not appropriate for this code. An assistant at surgery may be 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 30545 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 | $923.81 |
| Beaumont, TX | Unavailable | $856.07 |
| Brazoria, TX | Unavailable | $888.84 |
| Dallas, TX | Unavailable | $895.86 |
| Fort Worth, TX | Unavailable | $891.89 |
| Galveston, TX | Unavailable | $892.43 |
| Houston, TX | Unavailable | $922.63 |
| Rest of Texas | Unavailable | $872.91 |
How the 30545 rate is calculated
Each of 30545’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 · 30545
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work11.33
11.33 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense14.03
14.03 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice1.65
1.65 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
27.0100
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$902.16
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 30545
30545 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 30545
Choanal repair, transpalatal approach
| 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) | 2 | Paid. |
| 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 · 30545
Choanal repair, transpalatal approach
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
30545 without 51 · national facility
$902.16
Choanal repair, transpalatal approach
30545-51 · Second procedure: 50%
$451.08
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%).
30545 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
4 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 30540Choanal atresia repairIntranasal approach
- Both codes repair choanal atresia; 30545 is for the transpalatal approach, while 30540 is for the intranasal approach.
- 30520SeptoplastySeptal deviation correction
- Use 30520 for repair of the nasal septum. It does not describe opening congenital choanal obstruction through the palate.
- 30560Nasal adhesion lysisIntranasal synechia
- 30560 treats intranasal synechia, or adhesions, rather than choanal atresia. Select based on the obstruction documented and treated.
30545 billing questions
How do I choose between 30545 and 30540?
Choose 30545 when the surgeon repairs choanal atresia through a transpalatal approach. Code 30540 describes repair through an intranasal approach.
What documentation supports 30545?
Document the choanal atresia, the transpalatal approach, and the operative work performed to correct the blockage. The operative report should make the approach distinguishable from an intranasal repair.
Can I append modifier 50 for bilateral atresia?
No. CMS identifies bilateral adjustment as inappropriate for this code, even when atresia affects both sides.
How does the 90-day global period affect postoperative billing?
The day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care are included in the global period. Care unrelated to the repair is not described by that global-period rule.
Can an assistant or another surgeon be reported?
An assistant at surgery may be paid. CMS does not permit co-surgeons or team surgery for this code.
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 other procedures are paid at 50% when performed in the same session.
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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