CPT code 31654: Bronchoscopy guidance, peripheral lesion localization2026 Medicare rate & RVUs

Add-on bronchoscopy guidance using endobronchial ultrasound to localize peripheral pulmonary lesions during a separately reported bronchoscopic procedure, commonly for tissue sampling.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities27.3K Medicare services in 2024

Medicare pays $131.27 for 31654 nationally in the office and $59.79 in a hospital or facility. Local office rates run $117.72–$170.16.

Medicare rate · 31654

Bronchoscopy guidance, peripheral lesion localization

Office or facility?

Work RVUs
1.37
Total RVUs
3.93
Global days
ZZZ

National rate · 2026

$131.27

Office setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 31654 →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 31654 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 31654 covers

During bronchoscopy, the physician advances an endobronchial ultrasound probe to locate a peripheral lung lesion and guide the bronchoscopic procedure toward it. This is commonly used by pulmonologists and interventional pulmonologists when a lung nodule or other peripheral abnormality is difficult to target by direct airway visualization. The code represents EBUS guidance for peripheral lesions, not EBUS-guided sampling of mediastinal or hilar lymph nodes.

Report 31654 only with a primary bronchoscopy procedure; examples of tissue-acquisition procedures that may be paired include transbronchial lung biopsy (31628) and transbronchial needle aspiration (31629), when performed. Documentation should identify the peripheral target and describe use of EBUS to localize or guide work on that lesion. CMS treats this as an add-on code, paid within the primary procedure's global period; it is not reported as a standalone service.

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 31654 pays more and less

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

109 payment localities

$117.72 to $170.16

$117.72$143.94$170.16
One dot per payment locality, office / nonfacility. Hover a dot to see the locality; select it to open that rate.

109 of 109 payment localities

31654 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
Alabama$119.24$56.69
Alaska$157.47$81.35
Arizona$128.12$58.86
Arkansas$117.72$56.32
Atlanta, GA$133.57$60.95
Austin, TX$135.57$59.95
Bakersfield, CA$138.23$59.89
Baltimore area, MD$138.95$62.26
Beaumont, TX$123.65$58.61
Brazoria, TX$129.95$59.11

31654 rates by state

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

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.

$117.72

$157.47

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

View every state and territory as a table
31654 office rate range by state
State / territoryOffice rate rangeLocalities
AK$157.471
AL$119.241
AR$117.721
AZ$128.121
CA$137.82–$170.1629
CO$136.061
CT$139.341
DC$148.671
DE$130.081
FL$129.88–$141.233
GA$123.33–$133.572
GU$140.561
HI$140.561
IA$121.751
ID$122.481
IL$126.65–$137.614
IN$123.111
KS$121.321
KY$121.891
LA$121.75–$127.072
MA$135.42–$148.412
MD$132.34–$148.673
ME$123.13–$128.932
MI$124.76–$131.402
MN$130.561
MO$119.95–$127.383
MS$118.851
MT$131.261
NC$124.261
ND$128.691
NE$122.321
NH$134.051
NJ$140.98–$147.432
NM$125.401
NV$130.621
NY$125.92–$153.265
OH$124.241
OK$121.611
OR$129.65–$139.902
PA$124.37–$136.252
PR$132.091
RI$134.341
SC$124.451
SD$128.381
TN$121.871
TX$123.65–$135.578
UT$125.951
VA$128.61–$148.672
VI$132.091
VT$128.311
WA$135.12–$151.182
WI$124.851
WV$122.501
WY$130.141

How the 31654 rate is calculated

Each of 31654’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 · 31654

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Office or facility?

Work1.37

1.37 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Practice expense2.43

2.43 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Malpractice0.13

0.13 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Adjusted RVUs

3.9300

Conversion factor

$33.4009

Medicare rate

$131.27

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

Payment rules and modifiers for 31654

The CMS indicators that decide how 31654 is paid alongside other services.

CMS payment indicators · 31654

Bronchoscopy guidance, peripheral lesion localization

RuleCMS valueWhat it means
Global periodZZZAdd-on code: falls within the primary procedure’s global period.
Multiple procedures0No multiple-procedure reduction.
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.

31654 compared with similar codes

Compare codes · National

5 codes, side by side

Office or facility?

  • 31654

    Bronchoscopy guidance, peripheral lesion localization1.37 wRVU

    $131.27

  • 31628

    Lung biopsy, single lobe3.46 wRVU

    $408.49+$277.22

  • 31629

    Bronchoscopic biopsy, needle aspiration biopsy3.66 wRVU

    $497.01+$365.74

  • 31652

    EBUS node sampling, one or two stations4.35 wRVU

    $1,355.41+$1,224.14

  • 31653

    EBUS-guided sampling, three or more stations4.84 wRVU

    $1,399.16+$1,267.89

How to choose

31628Lung biopsySingle lobe
31628 reports transbronchial lung biopsy; 31654 reports the additional EBUS guidance used to localize a peripheral lesion when that guidance is performed.
31629Bronchoscopic biopsyNeedle aspiration biopsy
31629 reports transbronchial needle aspiration. Add 31654 when EBUS is used to guide work on a peripheral lung lesion.
31652EBUS node samplingOne or two stations
31652 covers EBUS-guided sampling of one or two mediastinal or hilar nodes; 31654 concerns EBUS guidance for peripheral pulmonary lesions.
31653EBUS-guided samplingThree or more stations
31653 covers EBUS-guided sampling of three or more mediastinal or hilar nodes; it is not the peripheral-lesion guidance service represented by 31654.

31654 billing questions

When is 31654 appropriate instead of 31652 or 31653?

Use 31654 for EBUS guidance of a peripheral pulmonary lesion. Codes 31652 and 31653 describe EBUS-guided sampling of mediastinal or hilar lymph nodes.

Can 31654 be reported by itself?

No. It is an add-on code and must be reported with a primary bronchoscopy procedure, such as an appropriate biopsy or aspiration service.

Can 31654 be paired with 31628 or 31629?

It may be paired with 31628 for transbronchial lung biopsy or 31629 for transbronchial needle aspiration when that procedure is performed on the peripheral lesion.

What documentation supports reporting 31654?

Document the peripheral pulmonary target and the use of endobronchial ultrasound to locate or guide the bronchoscopic work on that lesion.

Is 31654 reported once for each lesion?

The code covers EBUS guidance for peripheral lesion(s). Do not assume a separate unit for each lesion from the code description alone.

How does the add-on status affect payment?

CMS pays 31654 within the global period of the primary procedure, and it cannot be billed as a standalone procedure.

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 31654PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 3,659 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

Did this answer your question about what 31654 pays?

Tell us what you were actually trying to work out. We’ll answer you directly, or build the page that does.

Fee sheets · Coming soon

Put 31654 and the rest of your codes on one sheet

Your codes at your locality, with payer contracts beside Medicare.

Join the waitlist