CPT code 69150: Ear canal surgery, extensive excision2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in California

CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 69150 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 69150 covers

An otolaryngologist or head and neck surgeon performs this extensive operation to remove substantial tissue from the external auditory canal, commonly for a tumor or other significant canal lesion. The work is broader than taking a biopsy or removing a small, localized lesion. It may involve operative removal of diseased canal tissue and reconstruction as part of the procedure. These cases are more often performed in a facility setting than in an office.

Select this service based on the documented extent of the canal operation, not simply the diagnosis or lesion name. The operative report should describe the tissue and canal involved, the extent of excision, and any reconstruction performed. CMS assigns a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. For multiple procedures in one session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are subject to the standard 50% reduction. Modifier 50 is inappropriate. Assistant-at-surgery payment is statutorily restricted; co-surgeons require 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 69150 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 69150 rate is calculated

Each of 69150’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 69150

69150 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

69150 compared with similar codes

How to choose

69140Ear canal excisionLesion removal

This code represents extensive canal surgery. Choose 69140 when the documented operation fits its less extensive lesion-excision scope.

69145Ear canal excisionWith or without tympanic membrane

Both involve external auditory canal lesion excision, but this code is for an extensive operation. Base the choice on the documented operative scope and approach.

69155Ear canal surgeryExtensive with neck surgery

Use 69155 when the extensive ear operation also includes neck surgery; this code is for the canal operation without that added neck component.

69105Ear canal biopsyExternal auditory canal

69105 represents a diagnostic canal biopsy. This code represents extensive surgical removal, not tissue sampling alone.

Codes related to 69150

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