CPT code 69210: Impacted ear wax removal, instrumentation, unilateral2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in Washington, DC area

In Washington, DC area, Medicare pays $53.67 for 69210 in the office and $29.27 when it’s performed in a hospital or facility.

Check a contract rate as a % of Medicare · 69210 nationwide

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

What 69210 covers

Code 69210 covers removal of impacted cerumen from the external auditory canal with an instrument under direct visualization. A physician or other qualified health care professional may use a curette, loop, forceps, or suction while viewing the canal with an otoscope, headlight, or microscope. The wax may obstruct assessment of the tympanic membrane or cause hearing loss, ear fullness, or discomfort. Primary care clinicians and otolaryngologists commonly perform this service in offices; it may also occur in facility settings.

Report 69210 for instrumental removal of an impaction; use 69209 when irrigation or lavage alone clears it. Document the impaction, ear or ears treated, instruments, and findings after removal. Medicare prices 69210 as bilateral, so report one unit when both ears are treated; modifier 50 does not increase payment. Routine same-day pre- and post-procedure care is included in its 0-day global period; a significant, separately identifiable E/M requires modifier 25 on the E/M code. When multiple procedures are performed in one session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures subject to the standard multiple procedure reduction are paid at 50%. Assistant at surgery is not paid; 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.

How Washington, DC area compares for 69210

Across 109 of 109 payment localities, the office rate for 69210 runs from $43.00 in Arkansas to $60.21 in San Benito County, CA. Washington, DC area pays $53.67. The RVUs are the same everywhere; the geographic indexes change the dollars.

Every other payment area

69210 rates by state

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

See 69210 in every payment locality

How the 69210 rate is calculated

Each of 69210’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 69210

The CMS indicators that decide how 69210 is paid alongside other services.

What modifiers do to the payment

When to use modifier 51

Codes related to 69210

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

How 69210 has changed in Washington, DC area

Price 69210 for an earlier date of service

Where the Washington, DC area rate applies

Washington, DC area is a Medicare payment area, not a city. Our Census mapping connects it to 1 cities and communities in District of Columbia. Some span more than one payment area; confirm with the service ZIP.

• Washington

Browse all communities in District of Columbia

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