CPT code 69550: Glomus tumor excision, transcanal approach2026 Medicare rate & RVUs

Medicare pays $978.98 for 69550 nationally in a facility.

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

What 69550 covers

This service covers surgical removal of an aural glomus tumor through the external auditory canal. These vascular tumors commonly arise in the middle ear, where they may appear as a reddish mass behind the tympanic membrane. An otolaryngologist, often an otologist or neurotologist, performs the operation in a surgical setting. The operative approach matters: this code identifies transcanal excision, not a transtemporal or extended approach.

Select the code from the documented tumor excision and surgical approach, not simply the tumor’s location or diagnosis. The operative report should support the glomus tumor, the transcanal route, and the work performed. 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 others at 50%. Bilateral reporting with modifier 50 is paid at 150%. Assistant-at-surgery payment may be made; 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 69550 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

69550 rates by state

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

How the 69550 rate is calculated

Each of 69550’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 69550

69550 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 50

69550 compared with similar codes

How to choose

69552Aural tumor excisionTransmastoid approach

This code is for transcanal excision; 69552 is selected when the operative report documents a transtemporal approach.

69554Glomus tumor excisionExtended resection

69554 represents an extended approach to aural glomus tumor excision, rather than the transcanal approach described here.

69540Aural polypSurgical excision

69540 describes excision of an aural polyp. This code is for excision of a diagnosed aural glomus tumor through the ear canal.

Codes related to 69550

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