CPT code 69110: Auricular excision, partial auricle2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in California
Reports surgical removal of part of the external ear, such as when a localized auricular lesion requires excision rather than diagnostic sampling.
Medicare pays $495.90–$623.43 for 69110 in the office in California, from Chico, CA to San Benito County, CA. Which amount applies depends on the service address.
Medicare allowed amount for participating (non-QP) physicians, before deductible, coinsurance and claim adjustments. Not a patient’s bill or a hospital charge.
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On this page 9 sections
What 69110 covers
This service removes a portion of the auricle, the visible external ear, when the affected area cannot be treated by a small diagnostic sample alone. An otolaryngologist, plastic surgeon, or other qualified surgeon may perform it in an office procedure room, ambulatory surgery center, or hospital. A typical clinical situation is a localized pinna lesion for which definitive treatment requires removal of part of the ear.
Choose this code for partial removal of the external ear, not a biopsy alone or removal of the entire auricle. The operative report should identify the affected ear and site, the extent of tissue removed, and the reason for excision. 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 is paid in full and others at 50%. Bilateral reporting with modifier 50 is paid at 150%. CMS does not pay an assistant at surgery; 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 69110 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 payment localities
$495.90 to $623.43
29 of 29 payment localities
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Bakersfield, CA | $497.35 | $312.49 |
| Chico, CA | $495.90 | $311.04 |
| El Centro, CA | $495.99 | $311.12 |
| Fresno, CA | $495.90 | $311.04 |
| Hanford, CA | $495.90 | $311.04 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $530.18 | $330.64 |
| Madera, CA | $495.90 | $311.04 |
| Marin County, CA | $609.61 | $371.78 |
| Merced, CA | $495.90 | $311.04 |
| Modesto, CA | $495.90 | $311.04 |
| Napa, CA | $575.69 | $353.37 |
| Oxnard, CA | $527.66 | $328.29 |
| Redding, CA | $495.90 | $311.04 |
| Rest of California | $495.90 | $311.04 |
| Riverside, CA | $501.31 | $316.45 |
| Sacramento, CA | $520.71 | $324.54 |
| Salinas, CA | $518.79 | $323.29 |
| San Benito County, CA | $623.43 | $380.20 |
| San Diego, CA | $531.27 | $329.53 |
| San Francisco, CA | $609.05 | $371.21 |
| San Luis Obispo, CA | $510.42 | $318.30 |
| Santa Clara County, CA | $621.11 | $377.88 |
| Santa Cruz, CA | $536.55 | $331.61 |
| Santa Maria, CA | $520.81 | $324.13 |
| Santa Rosa, CA | $541.97 | $334.84 |
| Stockton, CA | $495.90 | $311.04 |
| Vallejo, CA | $574.87 | $352.56 |
| Visalia, CA | $495.90 | $311.04 |
| Yuba City, CA | $495.90 | $311.04 |
How the 69110 rate is calculated
Each of 69110’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 · 69110
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work3.44
3.44 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense10.11
10.11 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice0.50
0.50 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
14.0500
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$469.28
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 69110
69110 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 69110
Auricular excision, partial auricle
| Rule | CMS value | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Global period | 090 | Major surgery: the day before, the day of, and 90 days after are included. |
| Multiple procedures | 2 | Standard reduction: highest-valued procedure at 100%, others at 50%. |
| Bilateral (modifier 50) | 1 | Bilateral with modifier 50 pays 150% of the fee schedule amount. |
| Assistant at surgery (80/81/82/AS) | 1 | Not paid (statutory restriction). |
| Co-surgeons (62) | 0 | Not permitted. |
| Team surgery (66) | 0 | Not permitted. |
| Professional/technical | 0 | Physician service: no professional/technical split. |
| Split (54/55/56) | 0.07/0.79/0.14 | Share of the payment for pre-op, the procedure itself, and post-op care. |
Global surgery period · 69110
Auricular excision, partial auricle
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.
Pre-op dayGlobal period
What modifiers do to the payment
Modifier 50 · payment effect
With and without the modifier
69110 without 50 · national office
$469.28
Auricular excision, partial auricle
69110-50 · Bilateral: 150%
$703.92
Both sides on one line with modifier 50 are paid at 150% of the fee schedule amount (subject to multiple-procedure rules with other procedures).
69110 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
4 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 69100Ear biopsyAuricle, not ear canal
- 69100 is for biopsy of the external ear. Use 69110 when the operative service removes part of the auricle rather than taking a diagnostic sample.
- 69120External ear excisionComplete removal
- 69120 represents complete external-ear removal; 69110 is for partial removal.
- 69140Ear canal excisionLesion removal
- 69140 addresses a lesion in the external auditory canal. This code is for partial removal of the visible external ear.
69110 billing questions
When is this code appropriate instead of an external ear biopsy?
Use this code when the surgeon removes part of the auricle as treatment, rather than taking tissue primarily for diagnostic examination. A limited diagnostic sample is reported with 69100.
How does this differ from complete external ear removal?
This code represents partial removal of the auricle. Code 69120 is the related code for complete removal.
Does the 90-day global period include related postoperative visits?
Yes. The CMS global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care.
How is bilateral surgery reported?
For bilateral procedures, modifier 50 is paid at 150% under the CMS rule for this code.
Can an assistant or co-surgeon be billed for this procedure?
CMS does not pay an assistant at surgery for this code. Co-surgeons and team surgery are not permitted.
What happens when another procedure is performed in the same session?
Under the standard multiple procedure reduction, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are paid at 50%.
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
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