CPT code 31526: Diagnostic laryngoscopy, operating microscope or telescope2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in New Mexico

In New Mexico, Medicare pays $134.51 for 31526 in a facility. There’s no office rate.

Check a contract rate as a % of Medicare · 31526 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 31526 covers

An otolaryngologist passes a laryngoscope through the mouth to examine the larynx directly, using an operating microscope or telescope for magnified visualization. The examination may help evaluate persistent hoarseness, a suspected vocal fold abnormality, or another laryngeal finding. It is commonly performed in an operating room, often under general anesthesia, when an office examination cannot provide the needed view or assessment.

Report 31526 when the service is diagnostic and the documented technique uses the operating microscope or telescope. Documentation should identify the reason for the examination, the structures assessed, and the findings. When tissue sampling or treatment is performed, select the applicable operative laryngoscopy code rather than reporting this diagnostic service separately. CMS assigns a 0-day global period, so same-day preoperative and postoperative care is included. For multiple procedures in one session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and others at 50%. Modifier 50 is inappropriate; assistant-at-surgery payment is restricted, and co-surgeon and team-surgery payment 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.

How New Mexico compares for 31526

Across 109 of 109 payment localities, the facility rate for 31526 runs from $123.77 in Arkansas to $174.18 in Alaska. New Mexico pays $134.51. The RVUs are the same everywhere; the geographic indexes change the dollars.

Every other payment area

31526 rates by state

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

See 31526 in every payment locality

How the 31526 rate is calculated

Each of 31526’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 31526

The CMS indicators that decide how 31526 is paid alongside other services.

What modifiers do to the payment

When to use modifier 51

Codes related to 31526

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

How 31526 has changed in New Mexico

Price 31526 for an earlier date of service

Where the New Mexico rate applies

New Mexico is a Medicare payment area, not a city. Our Census mapping connects it to 528 cities and communities in New Mexico. Some span more than one payment area; confirm with the service ZIP.

• Abeytas
• Abiquiu
• Acomita Lake
• Adelino
• Agua Fria
• Alamillo
• Alamo
• Alamogordo

Browse all communities in New Mexico

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