CPT code 31636: Bronchial stent, initial bronchus2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in Texas
Bronchoscopic placement of a stent in an initial bronchus to maintain airway patency, such as for a narrowed or obstructed bronchus.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 31636 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 31636 covers
A pulmonologist or thoracic surgeon uses a bronchoscope to position and deploy a stent in a bronchus, commonly to keep an airway open when narrowing or obstruction limits airflow. The procedure is typically performed in a hospital or other procedural setting, often for airway compromise from a tumor or a benign stenosis. Fluoroscopic guidance may be used when needed. This code identifies stenting in the initial bronchus; a separate add-on code is available when another bronchus is stented during the same session.
Report the service when the record supports bronchoscopic stent placement and identifies the treated bronchus and reason for maintaining its patency. A minor-procedure 0-day global period includes same-day preoperative and postoperative care. When related endoscopies are performed together, CMS endoscopy-family pricing applies. Bilateral adjustment does not apply, and modifier 50 is inappropriate. Medicare does not pay for an assistant at surgery; 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 31636 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 | $196.36 |
| Beaumont, TX | Unavailable | $190.68 |
| Brazoria, TX | Unavailable | $192.91 |
| Dallas, TX | Unavailable | $194.40 |
| Fort Worth, TX | Unavailable | $194.19 |
| Galveston, TX | Unavailable | $193.70 |
| Houston, TX | Unavailable | $201.76 |
| Rest of Texas | Unavailable | $191.89 |
How the 31636 rate is calculated
Each of 31636’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 · 31636
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work4.19
4.19 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense1.22
1.22 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice0.44
0.44 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
5.8500
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$195.40
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 31636
The CMS indicators that decide how 31636 is paid alongside other services.
CMS payment indicators · 31636
Bronchial stent, initial bronchus
| 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
31636 without 51 · national facility
$195.40
Bronchial stent, initial bronchus
31636-51 · Second procedure: 50%
$97.70
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%).
31636 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
5 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 31631Airway stentTracheal stent placement
- Choose 31631 when the stent is placed in the trachea; 31636 is for a bronchus.
- 31637Bronchial stentEach additional bronchus
- 31636 covers the initial bronchus stented. Use 31637 for an additional bronchus treated in the same session.
- 31638Airway stent revisionTracheal or bronchial stent
- 31638 describes revision of an existing tracheal or bronchial stent, not initial bronchial stent placement.
- 31630BronchoscopyAirway dilation without stent
- 31630 is for bronchoscopic dilation of an airway; 31636 is reported when a stent is placed in a bronchus.
31636 billing questions
When should 31636 be used instead of 31631?
Use 31636 for stent placement in a bronchus. Code 31631 is for placement in the trachea.
How is another stented bronchus reported?
When an additional bronchus is stented in the same session, report the applicable add-on code, 31637, with 31636.
Can modifier 50 be reported for stenting both sides?
No. CMS identifies bilateral adjustment as inapplicable to this service, and modifier 50 is inappropriate.
What documentation supports 31636?
Document bronchoscopic stent placement, the bronchus treated, and the clinical reason for maintaining airway patency. Record any additional bronchus treated when applicable.
Can an assistant or co-surgeon be reported?
Medicare does not pay an assistant-at-surgery claim for this code. 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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