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CPT code 31571: Vocal fold injection, microscope or telescope2026 Medicare rate & RVUs

Reports therapeutic injection into one or both vocal folds during direct laryngoscopy performed with an operating microscope or telescope.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities5.8K Medicare services in 2024

Medicare pays $211.43 for 31571 nationally in a facility.

Medicare rate · 31571

Vocal fold injection, microscope or telescope

Office or facility?

Work RVUs
4.15
Total RVUs
6.33
Global days
000

National rate · 2026

$211.43

Facility setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 31571 →Billed by an NP, PA or therapist? →

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

Your location

Medicare pays by the payment locality where the service is performed.

On this page 10 sections
  1. Medicare rate
  2. What 31571 covers
  3. By payment locality
  4. Rate map
  5. How it’s calculated
  6. Payment rules
  7. Similar codes
  8. Related codes
  9. Billing questions
  10. Sources

What 31571 covers

An otolaryngologist uses direct laryngoscopy to reach the vocal folds and deliver a therapeutic injection under an operating microscope or telescope. For example, a surgeon may inject a vocal fold scar with medication under magnified visualization. The operative note should identify the treated fold or folds, injected agent, therapeutic indication, and use of the microscope or telescope.

Report 31571 when the direct laryngoscopic injection includes this magnified instrumentation; 31570 describes the related injection without it. Distinguish therapeutic injection from injection intended to augment a vocal fold, which is represented by a different approach and code. The CMS global period is 0 days, so same-day preoperative and postoperative care is included. CMS endoscopy-family pricing applies when related endoscopies are performed together. For bilateral treatment, report the service without modifier 50; the descriptor and anatomy make that modifier inappropriate. Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery, 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 31571 pays more and less

The same RVUs, adjusted for each area’s costs. Open a locality for its calculation, history and nearby areas.

109 of 109 payment localities

31571 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
AlabamaUnavailable$196.13
AlaskaUnavailable$275.17
ArizonaUnavailable$206.91
ArkansasUnavailable$194.27
Atlanta, GAUnavailable$216.72
Austin, TXUnavailable$212.48
Bakersfield, CAUnavailable$211.29
Baltimore area, MDUnavailable$222.25
Beaumont, TXUnavailable$205.26
Brazoria, TXUnavailable$207.65

31571 rates by state

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

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Explore a state

Local rates. Clear comparisons.

Hover or focus a tile to see its rate range. Select it to open the state’s fee schedule.

View every state and territory as a table
31571 office rate range by state
State / territoryOffice rate rangeLocalities
AKNo published base rate1
ALNo published base rate1
ARNo published base rate1
AZNo published base rate1
CANo published base rate29
CONo published base rate1
CTNo published base rate1
DCNo published base rate1
DENo published base rate1
FLNo published base rate3
GANo published base rate2
GUNo published base rate1
HINo published base rate1
IANo published base rate1
IDNo published base rate1
ILNo published base rate4
INNo published base rate1
KSNo published base rate1
KYNo published base rate1
LANo published base rate2
MANo published base rate2
MDNo published base rate3
MENo published base rate2
MINo published base rate2
MNNo published base rate1
MONo published base rate3
MSNo published base rate1
MTNo published base rate1
NCNo published base rate1
NDNo published base rate1
NENo published base rate1
NHNo published base rate1
NJNo published base rate2
NMNo published base rate1
NVNo published base rate1
NYNo published base rate5
OHNo published base rate1
OKNo published base rate1
ORNo published base rate2
PANo published base rate2
PRNo published base rate1
RINo published base rate1
SCNo published base rate1
SDNo published base rate1
TNNo published base rate1
TXNo published base rate8
UTNo published base rate1
VANo published base rate2
VINo published base rate1
VTNo published base rate1
WANo published base rate2
WINo published base rate1
WVNo published base rate1
WYNo published base rate1

How the 31571 rate is calculated

Each of 31571’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 · 31571

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Office or facility?

Work4.15

4.15 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Practice expense1.58

1.58 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Malpractice0.60

0.60 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Adjusted RVUs

6.3300

Conversion factor

$33.4009

Medicare rate

$211.43

Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.

Payment rules and modifiers for 31571

The CMS indicators that decide how 31571 is paid alongside other services.

CMS payment indicators · 31571

Vocal fold injection, microscope or telescope

RuleCMS valueWhat it means
Global period000Same-day global: pre- and post-op care on the day of the procedure is included.
Multiple procedures3Endoscopy family rules apply.
Bilateral (modifier 50)0The 150% bilateral adjustment doesn’t apply.
Assistant at surgery (80/81/82/AS)1Not paid (statutory restriction).
Co-surgeons (62)0Not permitted.
Team surgery (66)0Not permitted.
Professional/technical0Physician service: no professional/technical split.

What modifiers do to the payment

Modifier 51 · payment effect

With and without the modifier

31571 without 51 · national facility

$211.43

Vocal fold injection, microscope or telescope

31571-51 · Second procedure: 50%

$105.72

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%).

When to use modifier 51

31571 compared with similar codes

Compare codes · National

4 codes, side by side

Office or facility?

  • 31571

    Vocal fold injection, microscope or telescope4.15 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 31570

    Vocal fold injection, direct, without optical magnification3.76 wRVU

    $344.36

  • 31573

    Laryngoscopy, therapeutic injection2.37 wRVU

    $287.25

  • 31574

    Vocal fold injection, flexible scope, unilateral2.37 wRVU

    $901.82

How to choose

31570Vocal fold injectionDirect, without optical magnification
Both involve therapeutic injection during direct laryngoscopy. Report 31571 when an operating microscope or telescope is used; report 31570 without that instrumentation.
31573LaryngoscopyTherapeutic injection
31573 uses flexible laryngoscopy for therapeutic injection. 31571 uses direct laryngoscopy with an operating microscope or telescope.
31574Vocal fold injectionFlexible scope, unilateral
31574 describes flexible laryngoscopic injection for vocal fold augmentation. Choose 31571 for direct laryngoscopic therapeutic injection with magnified instrumentation.

Codes related to 31571

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

Codes related to 31571
CodeHow it relatesNational office range
Same family
31570Vocal fold injection, direct, without optical magnificationDirect laryngoscopic therapeutic vocal fold injection without an operating microscope or telescope.$306.62–$436.72
Used instead
31573Laryngoscopy, therapeutic injectionTherapeutic injection performed using flexible rather than direct laryngoscopy.$253.77–$377.04
31574Vocal fold injection, flexible scope, unilateralFlexible laryngoscopic injection intended to augment a vocal fold.$781.69–$1,263.26

31571 billing questions

How does 31571 differ from 31570?

Both describe therapeutic injection during direct laryngoscopy. Choose 31571 when the procedure uses an operating microscope or telescope; 31570 is the related code without that instrumentation.

When is 31573 a better fit?

31573 describes therapeutic injection performed with flexible laryngoscopy. 31571 is for direct laryngoscopy with an operating microscope or telescope.

Is 31571 used for vocal fold augmentation?

Use a code for augmentation when the injection is intended to add bulk or improve closure, rather than for another therapeutic purpose. Code 31574 describes flexible laryngoscopy with injection for augmentation.

Can modifier 50 be reported for injections into both vocal folds?

No. Report the service without modifier 50; the descriptor and anatomy make that modifier inappropriate.

What same-day care and related procedures are included in payment?

The 0-day global period includes same-day preoperative and postoperative care. When related endoscopies are performed together, CMS endoscopy-family pricing applies.

Can an assistant or co-surgeon be billed?

Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery for this service. Co-surgeon and team-surgery billing 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

Show the CMS file lines behind this rate
RVUs for 31571PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 3,604 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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