CPT code 31629: Bronchoscopic biopsy, needle aspiration biopsy2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in Missouri
Reports bronchoscopic needle sampling of the tracheobronchial tree or mediastinum, such as aspiration biopsy of a mediastinal or hilar target.
Medicare pays $446.64–$479.62 for 31629 in the office in Missouri, from Rest of Missouri to Metropolitan St. Louis, MO. Which amount applies depends on the service address.
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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What 31629 covers
A pulmonologist, interventional pulmonologist, or thoracic surgeon passes a needle through a rigid or flexible bronchoscope to obtain tissue or cellular material from the tracheobronchial tree or mediastinum. Common targets include mediastinal or hilar lymph nodes and peribronchial lesions. The specimen may be sent for cytology or histopathology after bronchoscopy in a hospital or outpatient procedural setting.
Report 31629 for the initial needle-biopsy service; when additional lobes are sampled, 31633 is the related add-on code. The procedure note should identify the sampled target and lobe and describe the needle sampling performed. This is a minor procedure with a 0-day global period, so same-day preoperative and postoperative care is included. When related endoscopies are performed together, endoscopy family pricing applies. Modifier 50 is inappropriate. Medicare does not pay for an assistant at surgery, 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 31629 pays more and less in Missouri
The same RVUs, adjusted for each area’s costs. Open a locality for its calculation, history and nearby areas.
3 payment localities
$446.64 to $479.62
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Metropolitan Kansas City, MO | $474.60 | $165.99 |
| Metropolitan St. Louis, MO | $479.62 | $166.73 |
| Rest of Missouri | $446.64 | $163.33 |
How the 31629 rate is calculated
Each of 31629’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 · 31629
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work3.66
3.66 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense10.86
10.86 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice0.36
0.36 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
14.8800
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$497.01
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 31629
The CMS indicators that decide how 31629 is paid alongside other services.
CMS payment indicators · 31629
Bronchoscopic biopsy, needle aspiration biopsy
| Rule | CMS value | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Global period | 000 | Same-day global: pre- and post-op care on the day of the procedure is included. |
| Multiple procedures | 3 | Endoscopy family rules apply. |
| 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. |
What modifiers do to the payment
Modifier 51 · payment effect
With and without the modifier
31629 without 51 · national office
$497.01
Bronchoscopic biopsy, needle aspiration biopsy
31629-51 · Second procedure: 50%
$248.51
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%).
31629 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
5 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 31628Lung biopsySingle lobe
- Choose 31629 for needle aspiration biopsy of the tracheobronchial tree or mediastinum; choose 31628 for transbronchial lung biopsy.
- 31625Bronchoscopy biopsyAirway tissue sampling
- 31625 represents bronchoscopic biopsy of airway tissue. 31629 represents needle aspiration biopsy through the bronchoscope.
- 31633Bronchoscopic needle biopsyEach additional lobe
- 31633 is the add-on for each additional lobe sampled by needle biopsy; 31629 reports the initial needle-biopsy service.
- 31652EBUS node samplingOne or two stations
- 31652 is for EBUS-guided sampling of one or two mediastinal or hilar node stations. Distinguish it from 31629 by the documented guidance and service.
31629 billing questions
How does 31629 differ from 31628?
31629 is for needle aspiration biopsy of the tracheobronchial tree or mediastinum. 31628 is for transbronchial lung biopsy, so use the code that matches the sampling method and target documented.
When is 31633 reported with 31629?
31633 is the add-on for needle biopsy in each additional lobe. The documentation should identify the additional lobe sampled; additional needle passes alone do not establish another lobe.
Should modifier 50 be appended for bilateral sampling?
No. The CMS bilateral adjustment does not apply to 31629, and modifier 50 is inappropriate.
How is 31629 distinguished from EBUS-guided node sampling?
For EBUS-guided sampling of one or two mediastinal or hilar lymph node stations, compare 31652. Select the code that reflects the documented guidance and service performed.
Does the 0-day global period include same-day care?
Yes. Same-day preoperative and postoperative care is included in the 0-day global period.
Can an assistant or co-surgeon be reported?
Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery for 31629. 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
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