CPT code 56631: Radical vulvectomy, unilateral inguinofemoral nodes2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in California

CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 56631 in California.

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

What 56631 covers

This operation removes part of the vulva through a radical oncologic excision and includes dissection of inguinofemoral lymph nodes on one side. Gynecologic oncologists typically perform it in an operating room for vulvar cancer when nodal surgery is part of the same operation. The code distinguishes partial vulvar removal from complete removal and specifies unilateral node dissection.

Select this code when the operative report supports both the radical partial excision and the one-sided inguinofemoral dissection; the included node procedure is not separately reported as an additional service. The descriptor is unilateral, so do not append modifier 50. CMS assigns a 90-day global period, including 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. Assistant-at-surgery and co-surgeon payment may be made; 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 56631 pays more and less in California

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

29 of 29 payment localities

How the 56631 rate is calculated

Each of 56631’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 56631

56631 has a 90-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

56631 compared with similar codes

How to choose

56630VulvectomyPartial, without lymphadenectomy

Use 56630 for radical partial vulvar removal without the included unilateral inguinofemoral node dissection. Use 56631 when that node dissection is part of the operation.

56632Radical vulvectomyPartial, bilateral nodes

Both describe radical partial vulvar removal with node dissection; 56632 specifies bilateral rather than unilateral inguinofemoral nodes.

56634Radical vulvectomyComplete, unilateral node dissection

Both include unilateral inguinofemoral node dissection, but 56634 is for complete radical vulvar removal rather than partial removal.

56620VulvectomySimple, partial excision

56620 describes simple partial vulvar removal. 56631 is for radical partial removal combined with unilateral inguinofemoral node dissection.

Codes related to 56631

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