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CPT code 32671: Pneumonectomy, thoracoscopic approach2026 Medicare rate & RVUs

Reports removal of an entire lung using a thoracoscopic approach, typically for extensive lung disease when lesser anatomic resection is not performed.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities31 Medicare services in 2024

Medicare pays $1,660.02 for 32671 nationally in a facility.

Medicare rate · 32671

Pneumonectomy, thoracoscopic approach

Office or facility?

Work RVUs
31.12
Total RVUs
49.70
Global days
090

National rate · 2026

$1,660.02

Facility setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 32671 →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 32671 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 32671 covers

A thoracic surgeon removes an entire lung through a thoracoscopic approach, usually in a hospital operating room. A pneumonectomy may be performed for extensive lung cancer or other severe lung disease when removing a lobe or segment would not accomplish the intended resection. The operative report should establish that the complete lung, rather than a lobe, two lobes, or a segment, was removed and document the approach and side.

Choose this code when the completed operation is a thoracoscopic pneumonectomy; a lobectomy, bilobectomy, or segmentectomy is a different extent of resection. The major-surgery global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. When multiple procedures are performed in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are subject to the standard 50% reduction. Modifier 50 is inappropriate for this descriptor and anatomy. An assistant at surgery may be paid; co-surgeon payment requires supporting documentation, and team surgery is 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 32671 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

32671 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
AlabamaUnavailable$1,501.43
AlaskaUnavailable$2,085.31
ArizonaUnavailable$1,611.16
ArkansasUnavailable$1,482.33
Atlanta, GAUnavailable$1,721.58
Austin, TXUnavailable$1,653.00
Bakersfield, CAUnavailable$1,611.66
Baltimore area, MDUnavailable$1,764.96
Beaumont, TXUnavailable$1,609.15
Brazoria, TXUnavailable$1,607.43

32671 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
32671 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 32671 rate is calculated

Each of 32671’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 · 32671

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Office or facility?

Work31.12

31.12 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Practice expense10.73

10.73 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Malpractice7.85

7.85 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Adjusted RVUs

49.7000

Conversion factor

$33.4009

Medicare rate

$1,660.02

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

Payment rules and modifiers for 32671

32671 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.

CMS payment indicators · 32671

Pneumonectomy, thoracoscopic approach

RuleCMS valueWhat it means
Global period090Major surgery: the day before, the day of, and 90 days after are 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)2Paid.
Co-surgeons (62)1Permitted with supporting documentation.
Team surgery (66)0Not permitted.
Professional/technical0Physician service: no professional/technical split.
Split (54/55/56)0.10/0.76/0.14Share of the payment for pre-op, the procedure itself, and post-op care.

Global surgery period · 32671

Pneumonectomy, thoracoscopic approach

90-day global period ends

Dec 30, 2026

Covers Sep 30, 2026 through Dec 30, 2026 (92 days, including the day before surgery).

Visit on Oct 31, 2026

Day 30 of the 90-day post-op period: related follow-up care is included in the surgical payment.

  • 24Unrelated E/M visit by the same physician
  • 79Unrelated procedure (starts its own global period)
  • 58Staged, more extensive, or therapy procedure that was planned
  • 78Unplanned return to the operating room for a related complication
SurgeryVisit
Sep 23, 2026Jan 10, 2027

Pre-op dayGlobal period

What modifiers do to the payment

Modifier 51 · payment effect

With and without the modifier

32671 without 51 · national facility

$1,660.02

Pneumonectomy, thoracoscopic approach

32671-51 · Second procedure: 50%

$830.01

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

32671 compared with similar codes

Compare codes · National

5 codes, side by side

Office or facility?

  • 32671

    Pneumonectomy, thoracoscopic approach31.12 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 32663

    Thoracoscopic lobectomy, single pulmonary lobe24.02 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 32670

    Thoracoscopic lung resection, two lobes removed27.81 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 32669

    Lung resection, anatomic segmentectomy22.94 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 32440

    Pneumonectomy, entire lung removed26.6 wRVU

    Not priced

How to choose

32663Thoracoscopic lobectomySingle pulmonary lobe
Use 32663 when the thoracoscopic resection is a lobectomy. This code requires removal of the entire lung.
32670Thoracoscopic lung resectionTwo lobes removed
Use 32670 for thoracoscopic removal of two lobes. This code represents removal of the entire lung.
32669Lung resectionAnatomic segmentectomy
Use 32669 for thoracoscopic removal of a lung segment; this code is for complete lung removal.
32440PneumonectomyEntire lung removed
Both represent complete pneumonectomy, but 32440 is the open approach; this code is for the thoracoscopic approach.

Codes related to 32671

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

Codes related to 32671
CodeHow it relatesNational office range
Same family
32663Thoracoscopic lobectomy, single pulmonary lobeThoracoscopic lobectomy removes a lobe rather than the entire lung.No office rate
32670Thoracoscopic lung resection, two lobes removedThoracoscopic bilobectomy removes two lobes, not the entire lung.No office rate
32669Lung resection, anatomic segmentectomyThoracoscopic segmentectomy removes a lung segment rather than the whole lung.No office rate
Used instead
32440Pneumonectomy, entire lung removedRepresents complete pneumonectomy through an open approach rather than thoracoscopy.No office rate

32671 billing questions

How is this different from thoracoscopic lobectomy or bilobectomy?

This code is for removal of the entire lung. Use the lobectomy or bilobectomy code when the operative report documents removal of one lobe or two lobes, respectively.

What documentation supports reporting this code?

The operative report should identify the complete lung resection, the thoracoscopic approach, the side, and the clinical indication. It should distinguish the operation from a lesser anatomic resection.

Can modifier 50 be reported?

No. Modifier 50 is inappropriate for this descriptor and anatomy.

How does the 90-day global period affect postoperative billing?

The global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care.

Can an assistant or co-surgeon be reported?

Assistant-at-surgery payment may be made. Co-surgeon payment requires supporting documentation; team surgery is not permitted.

What happens when another procedure is performed in the same session?

The highest-valued procedure is paid in full, and other procedures are subject to the standard multiple-procedure reduction.

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 32671PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 3,768 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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