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CPT code 69650: Stapes mobilization, stapes freed without removal2026 Medicare rate & RVUs

An otologist surgically frees a fixed stapes to address conductive hearing loss when the operative work is mobilization rather than stapes removal.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities48 Medicare services in 2024

Medicare pays $717.45 for 69650 nationally in a facility.

Medicare rate · 69650

Stapes mobilization, stapes freed without removal

Office or facility?

Work RVUs
9.56
Total RVUs
21.48
Global days
090

National rate · 2026

$717.45

Facility setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 69650 →Billed by an NP, PA or therapist? →

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

Your location

Medicare pays by the payment locality where the service is performed.

On this page 10 sections
  1. Medicare rate
  2. What 69650 covers
  3. By payment locality
  4. Rate map
  5. How it’s calculated
  6. Payment rules
  7. Similar codes
  8. Related codes
  9. Billing questions
  10. Sources

What 69650 covers

An otologist or other otolaryngologist performs this middle-ear operation to free a stapes that is abnormally fixed and limiting sound transmission. It is generally performed in an operating room under magnification, commonly for conductive hearing loss associated with stapes fixation. The defining work is mobilizing the stapes; a procedure that removes or opens the stapes and restores ossicular continuity is coded according to the applicable stapes surgery code instead.

Report 69650 when the operative report supports mobilization as the procedure performed, rather than a more extensive stapes operation. Documentation should identify the affected ear, the stapes fixation or other indication, and the work performed on the stapes. 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 others at 50%. Bilateral reporting with modifier 50 is paid at 150%. Assistant-at-surgery payment is restricted; 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 69650 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

69650 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
AlabamaUnavailable$653.34
AlaskaUnavailable$879.12
ArizonaUnavailable$699.86
ArkansasUnavailable$645.34
Atlanta, GAUnavailable$733.37
Austin, TXUnavailable$733.20
Bakersfield, CAUnavailable$739.13
Baltimore area, MDUnavailable$759.24
Beaumont, TXUnavailable$682.50
Brazoria, TXUnavailable$706.63

69650 rates by state

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

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Local rates. Clear comparisons.

Hover or focus a tile to see its rate range. Select it to open the state’s fee schedule.

View every state and territory as a table
69650 office rate range by state
State / territoryOffice rate rangeLocalities
AKNo published base rate1
ALNo published base rate1
ARNo published base rate1
AZNo published base rate1
CANo published base rate29
CONo published base rate1
CTNo published base rate1
DCNo published base rate1
DENo published base rate1
FLNo published base rate3
GANo published base rate2
GUNo published base rate1
HINo published base rate1
IANo published base rate1
IDNo published base rate1
ILNo published base rate4
INNo published base rate1
KSNo published base rate1
KYNo published base rate1
LANo published base rate2
MANo published base rate2
MDNo published base rate3
MENo published base rate2
MINo published base rate2
MNNo published base rate1
MONo published base rate3
MSNo published base rate1
MTNo published base rate1
NCNo published base rate1
NDNo published base rate1
NENo published base rate1
NHNo published base rate1
NJNo published base rate2
NMNo published base rate1
NVNo published base rate1
NYNo published base rate5
OHNo published base rate1
OKNo published base rate1
ORNo published base rate2
PANo published base rate2
PRNo published base rate1
RINo published base rate1
SCNo published base rate1
SDNo published base rate1
TNNo published base rate1
TXNo published base rate8
UTNo published base rate1
VANo published base rate2
VINo published base rate1
VTNo published base rate1
WANo published base rate2
WINo published base rate1
WVNo published base rate1
WYNo published base rate1

How the 69650 rate is calculated

Each of 69650’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 · 69650

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Office or facility?

Work9.56

9.56 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Practice expense10.53

10.53 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Malpractice1.39

1.39 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Adjusted RVUs

21.4800

Conversion factor

$33.4009

Medicare rate

$717.45

Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.

Payment rules and modifiers for 69650

69650 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.

CMS payment indicators · 69650

Stapes mobilization, stapes freed without removal

RuleCMS valueWhat it means
Global period090Major surgery: the day before, the day of, and 90 days after are included.
Multiple procedures2Standard reduction: highest-valued procedure at 100%, others at 50%.
Bilateral (modifier 50)1Bilateral with modifier 50 pays 150% of the fee schedule amount.
Assistant at surgery (80/81/82/AS)1Not paid (statutory restriction).
Co-surgeons (62)0Not permitted.
Team surgery (66)0Not permitted.
Professional/technical0Physician service: no professional/technical split.
Split (54/55/56)0.07/0.79/0.14Share of the payment for pre-op, the procedure itself, and post-op care.

Global surgery period · 69650

Stapes mobilization, stapes freed without removal

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.

  • 24Unrelated E/M visit by the same physician
  • 79Unrelated procedure (starts its own global period)
  • 58Staged, more extensive, or therapy procedure that was planned
  • 78Unplanned return to the operating room for a related complication
SurgeryVisit
Sep 23, 2026Jan 10, 2027

Pre-op dayGlobal period

What modifiers do to the payment

Modifier 50 · payment effect

With and without the modifier

69650 without 50 · national facility

$717.45

Stapes mobilization, stapes freed without removal

69650-50 · Bilateral: 150%

$1,076.18

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).

When to use modifier 50

69650 compared with similar codes

Compare codes · National

4 codes, side by side

Office or facility?

  • 69650

    Stapes mobilization, stapes freed without removal9.56 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 69660

    Stapes surgery, primary procedure11.73 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 69661

    Stapes revision, revision surgery15.52 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 69662

    Stapes revision, prior stapedectomy or stapedotomy15.21 wRVU

    Not priced

How to choose

69660Stapes surgeryPrimary procedure
Choose 69650 for stapes mobilization. Choose 69660 when the documented operation is a stapedectomy or stapedotomy with restoration of ossicular continuity.
69661Stapes revisionRevision surgery
Both codes are for stapes surgery, but the operative technique determines which code applies. Use the operative report to distinguish mobilization from the work represented by 69661.
69662Stapes revisionPrior stapedectomy or stapedotomy
Use 69650 for mobilization, not revision stapes surgery. When the operative report documents revision work, evaluate 69662 and the applicable procedure details.

Codes related to 69650

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

Codes related to 69650
CodeHow it relatesNational office range
Same family
69660Stapes surgery, primary procedureStapes surgery sibling for a stapedectomy or stapedotomy with restored ossicular continuity.No office rate
69661Stapes revision, revision surgeryRelated stapes surgery code; distinguish it by the operative technique documented.No office rate
69662Stapes revision, prior stapedectomy or stapedotomyRelated stapes surgery code; verify whether the documented procedure is a revision.No office rate

69650 billing questions

When should 69650 be chosen instead of a stapedectomy code?

Use 69650 when the documented operation mobilizes the stapes. If the surgeon removes or opens the stapes and restores ossicular continuity, select the applicable stapedectomy or stapedotomy code instead.

What documentation supports 69650?

The operative report should identify the ear, the reason for surgery such as stapes fixation with conductive hearing loss, and the specific mobilization performed.

Does the 90-day global period include postoperative care?

Yes. CMS includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care in the global period.

How is bilateral 69650 paid?

CMS pays a bilateral procedure reported with modifier 50 at 150%.

Can an assistant surgeon or co-surgeon be billed?

CMS applies a statutory restriction to assistant-at-surgery payment 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, CMS pays the highest-valued procedure in full and the other procedures 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
RVUs for 69650PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 7,637 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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