CPT code 41105: Tongue biopsy, posterior one-third2026 Medicare rate & RVUs

Medicare pays $189.38 for 41105 nationally in the office and $100.54 in a hospital or facility. Local office rates run $167.12–$251.18.

Medicare allowed amount for participating (non-QP) physicians, before deductible, coinsurance and claim adjustments. Not a patient’s bill or a hospital charge.

What 41105 covers

This service is a tissue sample taken from the posterior one-third of the tongue for diagnostic evaluation, such as investigation of a suspicious ulcer, mass, or mucosal change. An otolaryngologist, head-and-neck surgeon, or oral and maxillofacial surgeon may perform it in an office, procedure room, or operating room, depending on access and the patient’s needs. The sample is submitted for pathologic examination; this code describes the biopsy procedure, not the pathology interpretation.

Choose this code for a biopsy from the posterior tongue, rather than the anterior two-thirds or the floor of the mouth. The note should identify the sampled site and the lesion or abnormal tissue prompting the biopsy. It has a 10-day global period, so related postoperative visits during that period are included. When multiple procedures subject to the standard reduction are performed in the same session, the highest-valued is paid in full and the others at 50%. Modifier 50 is inappropriate. Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery, and co-surgeon and team-surgery billing 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 41105 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

41105 rates by state

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

How the 41105 rate is calculated

Each of 41105’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.

Payment rules and modifiers for 41105

41105 has a 10-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.

What modifiers do to the payment

When to use modifier 51

41105 compared with similar codes

How to choose

41100Tongue biopsyAnterior two-thirds

41100 describes biopsy of the anterior two-thirds of the tongue. Use 41105 when the sampled tissue is from the posterior one-third.

41108Oral biopsyFloor of mouth

41108 is for tissue sampled from the floor of the mouth, not the tongue. Select by the documented specimen site.

41110Tongue lesion excisionWithout closure

41105 represents diagnostic sampling of posterior tongue tissue. 41110 is an excision code for removing a tongue lesion without closure.

Codes related to 41105

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

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

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates