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CPT code 31575: Laryngoscopy, flexible, diagnostic2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in North Carolina

Report this service for a flexible-scope examination of the larynx to evaluate symptoms such as hoarseness, voice change, or swallowing difficulty.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026One payment locality540.3K Medicare services in 2024

In North Carolina, Medicare pays $119.51 for 31575 in the office and $57.81 when it’s performed in a hospital or facility.

$119.51Office (non-facility)
$57.81Hospital or facility
−6.1%vs the national office rate ($127.26)

Check a contract rate as a % of Medicare · 31575 nationwide

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

We’ll open 31575 for the payment locality that covers the ZIP.

On this page 11 sections
  1. Rate in North Carolina
  2. What 31575 covers
  3. Compared with other areas
  4. Rate map
  5. How it’s calculated
  6. Payment rules
  7. Related codes
  8. Rate history
  9. Where it applies
  10. Billing questions
  11. Sources

What 31575 covers

An otolaryngologist commonly passes a flexible scope through the nose to inspect the larynx and assess structures such as the vocal folds and their movement. In an office or facility setting, the examination may help evaluate hoarseness, voice change, throat symptoms, or swallowing complaints. This code represents diagnostic visualization, not an examination that includes biopsy, lesion removal, or injection treatment.

Document the reason for the examination, the scope examination performed, structures and findings observed, and relevant vocal fold movement. The service has a 0-day global period, so same-day preoperative and postoperative care is included. When multiple procedures occur in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are subject to the standard 50% reduction. Do not use modifier 50; CMS identifies bilateral adjustment as inappropriate for this service. Assistant-at-surgery payment is 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.

How North Carolina compares for 31575

Across 109 of 109 payment localities, the office rate for 31575 runs from $112.15 in Arkansas to $169.37 in San Benito County, CA. North Carolina pays $119.51. The RVUs are the same everywhere; the geographic indexes change the dollars.

31575 in North Carolina vs other payment areas
  1. North Carolina · this page$119.51
  2. Los Angeles, CA · California$143.93+$24.42
  3. Washington, DC area · District of Columbia$145.82+$26.31
  4. Miami, FL · Florida$137.68+$18.17
  5. Chicago, IL · Illinois$133.56+$14.05
  6. Manhattan, NY · New York$146.70+$27.19
  7. Alaska · Alaska$146.66+$27.15

Other areas in North Carolina first, then benchmark localities. Bars start at $0.

Every other payment area

31575 in every other Medicare payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
AlabamaAlabama$113.85$55.98
ArkansasArkansas$112.15$55.34
ArizonaArizona$123.77$59.69
Bakersfield, CACalifornia$134.99$62.51
Chico, CACalifornia$134.61$62.13
El Centro, CACalifornia$134.64$62.15
Fresno, CACalifornia$134.61$62.13
Hanford, CACalifornia$134.61$62.13

31575 rates by state

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

MEWIVTNHMTNDMNMINYMARIWAIDWYSDIAILINOHPANJCTORNVUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDECAAZNMKSOKARTNNCSCDCTXLAMSALGAFLAKHI

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.

$112.15

$151.99

Color shows the midpoint of each state’s locality range.

View every state and territory as a table
31575 office rate range by state
State / territoryOffice rate rangeLocalities
AK$146.661
AL$113.851
AR$112.151
AZ$123.771
CA$134.61–$169.3729
CO$132.581
CT$135.881
DC$145.821
DE$125.871
FL$125.39–$137.683
GA$118.13–$129.702
GU$138.061
HI$138.061
IA$116.801
ID$117.591
IL$121.68–$133.564
IN$118.301
KS$116.251
KY$116.661
LA$116.47–$122.412
MA$131.75–$145.922
MD$128.31–$145.823
ME$118.24–$124.832
MI$119.80–$127.012
MN$126.871
MO$114.42–$122.843
MS$113.311
MT$127.251
NC$119.511
ND$124.681
NE$117.461
NH$130.491
NJ$137.39–$144.242
NM$120.481
NV$126.621
NY$121.36–$150.375
OH$119.271
OK$116.431
OR$125.60–$136.872
PA$119.46–$132.432
PR$128.211
RI$130.411
SC$119.601
SD$124.371
TN$116.861
TX$118.65–$132.178
UT$121.281
VA$124.41–$145.822
VI$128.211
VT$124.191
WA$131.51–$148.932
WI$120.381
WV$117.051
WY$126.131

See 31575 in every payment locality

How the 31575 rate is calculated

Each of 31575’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 · 31575

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Office or facility?

Work0.92

0.92 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Practice expense2.76

2.76 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Malpractice0.13

0.13 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Adjusted RVUs

3.8100

Conversion factor

$33.4009

Medicare rate

$127.26

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

The exact North Carolina inputs and CMS source lines

PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv

3,608

Code
31575
Physician work
0.92
Practice expense
2.76
Malpractice
0.13

GPCI2026.csv

83

Locality
North Carolina
Physician work
1.000
Practice expense
0.933
Malpractice
0.639
Office calculation for 31575 in North Carolina
ComponentRVULocality factorAdjusted
Physician work0.92× 1.0000.9200
Practice expense2.76× 0.9332.5751
Malpractice0.13× 0.6390.0831
Total RVUs3.5781
Conversion factor× 33.4009

Office rate, North Carolina$119.51

Office: (0.92 × 1 + 2.76 × 0.933 + 0.13 × 0.639) × $33.4009 = $119.51

Facility: (0.92 × 1 + 0.78 × 0.933 + 0.13 × 0.639) × $33.4009 = $57.81

Open 31575 in the RVU calculator

Payment rules and modifiers for 31575

The CMS indicators that decide how 31575 is paid alongside other services.

CMS payment indicators · 31575

Laryngoscopy, flexible, diagnostic

RuleCMS valueWhat it means
Global period000Same-day global: pre- and post-op care on the day of the procedure is included.
Multiple procedures2Standard reduction: highest-valued procedure at 100%, others at 50%.
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

31575 without 51 · national office

$127.26

Laryngoscopy, flexible, diagnostic

31575-51 · Second procedure: 50%

$63.63

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

Codes related to 31575

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

Codes related to 31575
CodeHow it relatesOffice range, North Carolina
Same family
31576Laryngeal biopsy, flexible endoscopic approachFlexible laryngoscopy with biopsy, rather than diagnostic visualization alone.$252.12
Used instead
31579Laryngoscopy, with stroboscopyFlexible or telescopic laryngoscopy with stroboscopic assessment of vocal fold vibration.$183.73
31578Laryngoscopy, flexible scope, lesion removalLaryngoscopy with lesion removal when treatment, rather than diagnostic inspection alone, is performed.$285.66
31577Laryngoscopy, foreign body removalLaryngoscopy with foreign-body removal when an object is extracted.$261.66
31574Vocal fold injection, flexible scope, unilateralLaryngoscopy with vocal fold augmentation injection for a therapeutic indication.$843.17

How 31575 has changed in North Carolina

31575 · Office / nonfacility

$119.51

Effective 2026-10-01

The base rate is $3.81 higher than on 2025-10-01, moving from $115.70 to $119.51 (3.3%).

It is unchanged from the immediately preceding available release, effective 2026-07-01.

Base rate by release · bars start at $0 · select a bar to compare

One bar per available release, ordered by effective date. Missing rates remain gaps. These comparisons hold the code, setting and locality identifiers constant; they do not isolate which policy or input caused a change.

What changed, release by release

  1. January 1, 2026

    RVU26A

    $115.70changed to$119.51

    • Conversion factor 32.3465 changed to 33.4009
    • Work RVU 0.94 changed to 0.92
    • Practice expense RVU 2.74 changed to 2.76
    • Malpractice RVU 0.15 changed to 0.13
    • Practice expense GPCI 0.926 changed to 0.933
    • Malpractice GPCI 0.665 changed to 0.639

    Held through RVU26B, RVU26C, RVU26D.

  2. January 1, 2025

    RVU25A

    $120.70changed to$115.70

    • Conversion factor 33.2875 changed to 32.3465
    • Practice expense RVU 2.80 changed to 2.74
    • Malpractice RVU 0.14 changed to 0.15

    Held through RVU25B, RVU25C, RVU25D.

  3. March 9, 2024

    RVU24AR

    $118.73changed to$120.70

    • Conversion factor 32.7442 changed to 33.2875

    Held through RVU24B, RVU24C, RVU24D.

  4. January 1, 2024

    RVU24A

    $123.96changed to$118.73

    • Conversion factor 33.8872 changed to 32.7442
    • Practice expense RVU 2.82 changed to 2.80
    • Practice expense GPCI 0.927 changed to 0.926
    • Malpractice GPCI 0.742 changed to 0.665

  5. January 1, 2023

    RVU23A

    $125.53changed to$123.96

    • Conversion factor 34.6062 changed to 33.8872
    • Practice expense RVU 2.79 changed to 2.82
    • Malpractice RVU 0.12 changed to 0.14
    • Practice expense GPCI 0.928 changed to 0.927
    • Malpractice GPCI 0.819 changed to 0.742

    Held through RVU23B, RVU23C, RVU23D.

  6. January 1, 2022

    RVU22A

    $123.62changed to$125.53

    • Conversion factor 34.8931 changed to 34.6062
    • Practice expense RVU 2.69 changed to 2.79
    • Malpractice RVU 0.13 changed to 0.12

    Held through RVU22B, RVU22C, RVU22D.

  7. January 1, 2021

    RVU21A

    $118.76changed to$123.62

    • Conversion factor 36.0896 changed to 34.8931
    • Practice expense RVU 2.43 changed to 2.69
    • Malpractice RVU 0.12 changed to 0.13
    • Practice expense GPCI 0.930 changed to 0.928
    • Malpractice GPCI 0.757 changed to 0.819

    Held through RVU21B, RVU21C, RVU21D.

  8. January 1, 2020

    RVU20A

    $112.29changed to$118.76

    • Conversion factor 36.0391 changed to 36.0896
    • Practice expense RVU 2.24 changed to 2.43
    • Malpractice RVU 0.13 changed to 0.12
    • Practice expense GPCI 0.931 changed to 0.930
    • Malpractice GPCI 0.695 changed to 0.757

    Held through RVU20B, RVU20C, RVU20D.

  9. January 1, 2019

    RVU19A

    $108.48changed to$112.29

    • Conversion factor 35.9996 changed to 36.0391
    • Practice expense RVU 2.13 changed to 2.24

    Held through RVU19B, RVU19C, RVU19D.

  10. January 1, 2018

    RVU18AR1

    $109.32changed to$108.48

    • Conversion factor 35.8887 changed to 35.9996
    • Practice expense RVU 2.16 changed to 2.13
    • Malpractice GPCI 0.732 changed to 0.695

    Held through RVU18B, RVU18C, RVU18D.

  11. January 1, 2017

    RVU17A

    $110.77changed to$109.32

    • Conversion factor 35.8043 changed to 35.8887
    • Work RVU 1.10 changed to 0.94
    • Practice expense RVU 2.02 changed to 2.16
    • Malpractice RVU 0.15 changed to 0.13
    • Practice expense GPCI 0.930 changed to 0.931
    • Malpractice GPCI 0.768 changed to 0.732

    Held through RVU17B, RVU17C, RVU17D.

  12. January 1, 2016

    RVU16A

    $111.11changed to$110.77

    • Conversion factor 35.9335 changed to 35.8043
    • Practice expense RVU 2.01 changed to 2.02
    • Malpractice RVU 0.16 changed to 0.15

    Held through RVU16B, RVU16C, RVU16D.

  13. July 1, 2015

    RVU15C

    $110.56changed to$111.11

    • Conversion factor 35.7547 changed to 35.9335

    Held through RVU15D.

  14. January 1, 2015

    RVU15A

    $109.85changed to$110.56

    • Conversion factor 35.8228 changed to 35.7547
    • Practice expense RVU 2.03 changed to 2.01
    • Malpractice RVU 0.11 changed to 0.16
    • Practice expense GPCI 0.929 changed to 0.930
    • Malpractice GPCI 0.732 changed to 0.768

    Held through RVU15B.

  15. January 1, 2014

    RVU14A

    $111.23changed to$109.85

    • Conversion factor 34.0230 changed to 35.8228
    • Practice expense RVU 2.25 changed to 2.03
    • Malpractice RVU 0.12 changed to 0.11
    • Practice expense GPCI 0.927 changed to 0.929
    • Malpractice GPCI 0.695 changed to 0.732

    Held through RVU14B, RVU14C, RVU14D.

  16. January 1, 2013

    RVU13AR

    Earliest loaded release: $111.23

    Held through RVU13B, RVU13C, RVU13D.

Rates in every CMS release
Effective fromOfficeFacilityCMS release
2026-10-01$119.51$57.81RVU26D
2026-07-01$119.51$57.81RVU26C
2026-04-01$119.51$57.81RVU26B
2026-01-01$119.51$57.81RVU26A
2025-10-01$115.70$63.59RVU25D
2025-07-01$115.70$63.59RVU25C
2025-04-01$115.70$63.59RVU25B
2025-01-01$115.70$63.59RVU25A
2024-10-01$120.70$64.60RVU24D
2024-07-01$120.70$64.60RVU24C
2024-04-01$120.70$64.60RVU24B
2024-03-09$120.70$64.60RVU24AR
2024-01-01$118.73$63.54RVU24A
2023-10-01$123.96$65.22RVU23D
2023-07-01$123.96$65.22RVU23C
2023-04-01$123.96$65.22RVU23B
2023-01-01$123.96$65.22RVU23A
2022-10-01$125.53$65.16RVU22D
2022-07-01$125.53$65.16RVU22C
2022-04-01$125.53$65.16RVU22B
2022-01-01$125.53$65.16RVU22A
2021-10-01$123.62$64.69RVU21D
2021-07-01$123.62$64.69RVU21C
2021-04-01$123.62$64.69RVU21B
2021-01-01$123.62$64.69RVU21A
2020-10-01$118.76$65.40RVU20D
2020-07-01$118.76$65.40RVU20C
2020-04-01$118.76$65.40RVU20B
2020-01-01$118.76$65.40RVU20A
2019-10-01$112.29$65.32RVU19D
2019-07-01$112.29$65.32RVU19C
2019-04-01$112.29$65.32RVU19B
2019-01-01$112.29$65.32RVU19A
2018-10-01$108.48$65.25RVU18D
2018-07-01$108.48$65.25RVU18C
2018-04-01$108.48$65.25RVU18B
2018-01-01$108.48$65.25RVU18AR1
2017-10-01$109.32$66.22RVU17D
2017-07-01$109.32$66.22RVU17C
2017-04-01$109.32$66.22RVU17B
2017-01-01$109.32$66.22RVU17A
2016-10-01$110.77$75.48RVU16D
2016-07-01$110.77$75.48RVU16C
2016-04-01$110.77$75.48RVU16B
2016-01-01$110.77$75.48RVU16A
2015-10-01$111.11$75.69RVU15D
2015-07-01$111.11$75.69RVU15C
2015-04-01$110.56$75.31RVU15B
2015-01-01$110.56$75.31RVU15A
2014-10-01$109.85$74.57RVU14D
2014-07-01$109.85$74.57RVU14C
2014-04-01$109.85$74.57RVU14B
2014-01-01$109.85$74.57RVU14A
2013-10-01$111.23$73.69RVU13D
2013-07-01$111.23$73.69RVU13C
2013-04-01$111.23$73.69RVU13B
2013-01-01$111.23$73.69RVU13AR

Price 31575 for an earlier date of service

Where the North Carolina rate applies

North Carolina is a Medicare payment area, not a city. Our Census mapping connects it to 785 cities and communities in North Carolina. Some span more than one payment area; confirm with the service ZIP.

  • Aberdeen
  • Advance
  • Ahoskie
  • Alamance
  • Albemarle
  • Alexis
  • Alliance
  • Altamahaw

Browse all communities in North Carolina

31575 billing questions

When should 31575 be used instead of 31576?

Use 31575 for flexible-scope diagnostic visualization without biopsy. When the examination includes a biopsy, 31576 describes the biopsy service.

Can 31575 be reported when a lesion is removed?

When the scope examination includes lesion removal, use the code describing that treatment, such as 31578, rather than reporting a diagnostic-only service for the same examination.

What documentation supports 31575?

Record the indication, flexible-scope examination, structures visualized, findings, and relevant vocal fold movement.

Should modifier 50 be appended for both vocal folds?

No. CMS identifies bilateral adjustment as inappropriate for this service; do not append modifier 50.

How are multiple procedures in the same session paid?

The highest-valued procedure is paid in full, and other procedures performed in the same session are subject to a 50% reduction.

Can an assistant or co-surgeon be reported?

Assistant-at-surgery payment is restricted for 31575. 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

Show the CMS file lines behind this rate
RVUs for 31575PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 3,608 (RVU26D)
Geographic factors for North CarolinaGPCI2026.csv, line 83 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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