CPT code 69949: Inner ear procedure, unlisted procedure2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in Louisiana
Reports an otherwise unlisted inner-ear operation when no more specific CPT procedure code describes the service performed.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 69949 in Louisiana.
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 69949 covers
CPT 69949 is for an operation on the inner ear that no more specific CPT procedure code describes. It differs from named codes for inner-ear removal, inner-ear nerve surgery, lesion removal, and cochlear implantation; those codes apply when their defined service matches the operation. Select 69949 based on the work performed, not simply because an operation is uncommon or technically complex.
For Medicare physician fee schedule purposes, its status is carrier priced (status C): CMS publishes no national payment, and the Medicare Administrative Contractor sets payment for each claim. The contractor also sets the global period. When 69949 is performed with other procedures in the same session, the standard multiple-procedure reduction applies; the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and the others are reduced. A bilateral procedure reported with modifier 50 follows the CMS bilateral payment rule.
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 69949 pays more and less in Louisiana
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| New Orleans, LA | Unavailable | Unavailable |
| Rest of Louisiana | Unavailable | Unavailable |
How the 69949 rate is calculated
Each of 69949’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 · 69949
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work0.00
0.00 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense0.00
0.00 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice0.00
0.00 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
0.0000
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$0.00
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 69949
The CMS indicators that decide how 69949 is paid alongside other services.
CMS payment indicators · 69949
Inner ear procedure, unlisted procedure
| Rule | CMS value | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Global period | YYY | The Medicare contractor sets the global period. |
| 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) | 0 | Not paid without supporting documentation. |
| Co-surgeons (62) | 1 | Permitted with supporting documentation. |
| Team surgery (66) | 1 | Permitted with supporting documentation. |
| Professional/technical | 0 | Physician service: no professional/technical split. |
What modifiers do to the payment
Modifier 50 · payment effect
With and without the modifier
69949 without 50 · national facility
$0.00
Inner ear procedure, unlisted procedure
69949-50 · Bilateral: 150%
$0.00
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).
69949 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
5 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 69905LabyrinthectomyTranscanal approach
- 69905 describes a defined inner-ear removal operation. Use 69949 only when that code does not describe the service performed.
- 69915Vestibular nerve sectionTranscanal approach
- 69915 describes a specific inner-ear nerve procedure. Use 69949 when no named code describes the nerve operation performed.
- 69970Inner ear surgeryFocal lesion removal
- 69970 describes removal of an inner-ear lesion. Use 69949 for a different inner-ear operation without a more specific code.
- 69979Temporal bone surgeryUnlisted procedure
- 69979 is for an unlisted temporal-bone procedure; 69949 is for an unlisted inner-ear procedure. Choose according to the operative site.
69949 billing questions
When should 69949 be used instead of a named inner-ear procedure code?
Use 69949 when no named CPT procedure code describes the operation performed. If a defined procedure code matches the service, use that code instead.
How does Medicare price 69949?
Its physician fee schedule status is carrier priced (status C). CMS publishes no national payment; the Medicare Administrative Contractor sets payment for each claim.
How are other procedures performed in the same session treated?
The standard multiple-procedure reduction applies. The highest-valued procedure is paid in full, and the other procedures are reduced.
Can modifier 50 be reported for a bilateral procedure?
A bilateral procedure reported with modifier 50 follows the CMS bilateral payment rule.
Who sets the global period for 69949?
The Medicare contractor sets the global period.
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
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