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CPT code 31641: Therapeutic bronchoscopy, tumor destruction or stenosis relief2026 Medicare rate & RVUs

Report this therapeutic bronchoscopy for destruction of an airway tumor or relief of stenosis using a method other than excision.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities6.1K Medicare services in 2024

Medicare pays $224.45 for 31641 nationally in a facility.

Medicare rate · 31641

Therapeutic bronchoscopy, tumor destruction or stenosis relief

Office or facility?

Work RVUs
4.89
Total RVUs
6.72
Global days
000

National rate · 2026

$224.45

Facility setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 31641 →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 31641 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 31641 covers

This service treats an obstructing endobronchial tumor or narrowed airway through a rigid or flexible bronchoscope, using a destructive technique rather than excision. A pulmonologist, interventional pulmonologist, or thoracic surgeon may use methods such as laser treatment, thermal ablation, or cryotherapy to restore airway patency. It is commonly performed in a hospital or other procedural setting for malignant or benign airway obstruction.

Select the code when the documented treatment destroys tumor or relieves stenosis without removing the tissue by excision; use the operative report to identify the airway site, obstruction, and technique. CMS assigns 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, and no bilateral adjustment applies. Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery for this service; 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 31641 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

31641 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
AlabamaUnavailable$211.76
AlaskaUnavailable$301.68
ArizonaUnavailable$220.71
ArkansasUnavailable$210.21
Atlanta, GAUnavailable$228.95
Austin, TXUnavailable$225.51
Bakersfield, CAUnavailable$225.45
Baltimore area, MDUnavailable$234.21
Beaumont, TXUnavailable$219.26
Brazoria, TXUnavailable$221.76

31641 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
31641 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 31641 rate is calculated

Each of 31641’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 · 31641

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Office or facility?

Work4.89

4.89 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Practice expense1.34

1.34 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Malpractice0.49

0.49 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Adjusted RVUs

6.7200

Conversion factor

$33.4009

Medicare rate

$224.45

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

Payment rules and modifiers for 31641

The CMS indicators that decide how 31641 is paid alongside other services.

CMS payment indicators · 31641

Therapeutic bronchoscopy, tumor destruction or stenosis relief

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

31641 without 51 · national facility

$224.45

Therapeutic bronchoscopy, tumor destruction or stenosis relief

31641-51 · Second procedure: 50%

$112.23

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

31641 compared with similar codes

Compare codes · National

4 codes, side by side

Office or facility?

  • 31641

    Therapeutic bronchoscopy, tumor destruction or stenosis relief4.89 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 31640

    Bronchoscopic tumor removal, endobronchial excision4.81 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 31630

    Bronchoscopy, airway dilation without stent3.71 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 31631

    Airway stent, tracheal stent placement4.25 wRVU

    Not priced

How to choose

31640Bronchoscopic tumor removalEndobronchial excision
Choose 31640 when the bronchoscopic tumor treatment removes tissue by excision. Choose 31641 for tumor destruction or stenosis relief without excision.
31630BronchoscopyAirway dilation without stent
31630 describes bronchoscopic dilation of an airway. This code describes tumor destruction or stenosis relief by a method other than excision.
31631Airway stentTracheal stent placement
31631 is used when bronchoscopic dilation includes stent placement. This code is for non-excisional tumor destruction or stenosis relief, not stent placement.

Codes related to 31641

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

Codes related to 31641
CodeHow it relatesNational office range
Used instead
31640Bronchoscopic tumor removal, endobronchial excisionBronchoscopic tumor excision, rather than destruction or non-excisional stenosis relief.No office rate
31630Bronchoscopy, airway dilation without stentBronchoscopic airway dilation when dilation is the treatment for stenosis.No office rate
31631Airway stent, tracheal stent placementBronchoscopic dilation with stent placement for an airway narrowing.No office rate

31641 billing questions

When should this code be chosen over 31640?

Use this code when the airway tumor is destroyed or stenosis is relieved without excision. Code 31640 describes bronchoscopic tumor excision.

How does this differ from bronchoscopic dilation?

This code represents tumor destruction or stenosis relief by a method other than excision. Codes 31630 and 31631 describe dilation, with 31631 involving stent placement.

What documentation supports reporting this service?

Document the airway location and obstruction, the therapeutic method, and how the procedure treated the tumor or stenosis. The record should distinguish destruction or non-excisional stenosis relief from tissue excision.

Can modifier 50 be reported?

No. CMS does not apply a bilateral adjustment, and modifier 50 is inappropriate for this bronchoscopic service.

What happens when related endoscopies are performed in the same session?

CMS applies endoscopy-family pricing when related endoscopies are performed together. Same-day preoperative and postoperative care is included in this code's 0-day global period.

Can an assistant surgeon or co-surgeon be paid?

Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery for this service. 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 31641PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 3,649 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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