Billing code 30802: Turbinate ablationMedicare rate & RVUs

Reports submucosal reduction of enlarged inferior turbinate tissue to improve nasal airflow when turbinate hypertrophy contributes to obstruction.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities6.6K Medicare services in 2024

Medicare pays $278.56 for 30802 nationally in the office and $183.37 in a hospital or facility. Local office rates run $245.51–$370.40.

Medicare rate · 30802

Turbinate ablation

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work RVUs
2.03
Total RVUs
8.34
Global days
010

National rate · 2026

$278.56

Office setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 30802 → · 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.

On this page 10 sections
  1. Medicare rate
  2. What 30802 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 30802 covers

An otolaryngologist reduces tissue beneath the lining of an enlarged inferior turbinate to improve nasal airflow while preserving the surface mucosa. The procedure may use radiofrequency, electrocautery, or another tissue-volume reduction method. It is performed for nasal obstruction associated with inferior turbinate hypertrophy, in an office or outpatient surgical setting.

Choose this code when the treatment is submucosal rather than limited to the turbinate’s surface; document the treated turbinate, technique, and submucosal work. The code is priced for unilateral or bilateral treatment, so modifier 50 does not increase payment. Related postoperative visits during the 10-day global period are included. When multiple procedures are performed in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are subject to the standard multiple-procedure reduction. Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery for this service, and 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 30802 pays more and less

The same RVUs, adjusted for each area’s costs. Open a locality for its calculation, history and nearby areas.

109 payment localities

$245.51 to $370.40

$245.51$307.95$370.40
One dot per payment locality, office / nonfacility. Hover a dot to see the locality; select it to open that rate.

109 of 109 payment localities

30802 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
Alabama$249.23$165.93
Alaska*$321.19$219.81
Arizona$270.94$178.69
Arkansas$245.51$163.74
Atlanta$283.93$187.22
Austin$289.26$188.54
Bakersfield$295.37$191.04
Baltimore/Surr. Cntys$296.62$194.48
Beaumont$259.78$173.15
Brazoria$275.17$180.83

30802 rates by state

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

Explore a state

Local rates. Clear comparisons.

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

$245.51

$332.46

Color shows the midpoint of each state’s locality range.

View every state and territory as a table
30802 office rate range by state
State / territoryOffice rate rangeLocalities
AK$321.191
AL$249.231
AR$245.511
AZ$270.941
CA$294.52–$370.4029
CO$290.121
CT$297.441
DC$319.111
DE$275.511
FL$274.59–$301.623
GA$258.71–$283.932
GU$302.031
HI$302.031
IA$255.631
ID$257.371
IL$266.52–$292.594
IN$258.911
KS$254.461
KY$255.421
LA$255.03–$268.022
MA$288.34–$319.292
MD$280.86–$319.113
ME$258.82–$273.182
MI$262.32–$278.172
MN$277.581
MO$250.56–$268.933
MS$248.091
MT$278.541
NC$261.591
ND$272.811
NE$257.061
NH$285.601
NJ$300.71–$315.672
NM$263.821
NV$277.151
NY$265.63–$329.215
OH$261.151
OK$254.891
OR$274.88–$299.492
PA$261.54–$289.902
PR$280.631
RI$285.441
SC$261.831
SD$272.131
TN$255.781
TX$259.78–$289.268
UT$265.511
VA$272.30–$319.112
VI$280.631
VT$271.771
WA$287.79–$325.822
WI$263.421
WV$256.401
WY$276.051

How the 30802 rate is calculated

Each of 30802’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 · 30802

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work 2.03Practice expense 6.02Malpractice 0.29

8.3400 adjusted RVUs×$33.4009 conversion factor=$278.56

All indexes start at 1.000 (the national rate). Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.

Payment rules and modifiers for 30802

30802 has a 10-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.

CMS payment indicators · 30802

Turbinate ablation

RuleCMS valueWhat it means
Global period010Minor procedure: the day of the procedure plus 10 days after are included.
Multiple procedures2Standard reduction: highest-valued procedure at 100%, others at 50%.
Bilateral (modifier 50)2Already bilateral by definition: paid once at 100%.
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)0.10/0.80/0.10Share of the payment for pre-op, the procedure itself, and post-op care.

Global surgery period · 30802

Turbinate ablation

10-day global period ends

Oct 11, 2026

Covers Oct 1, 2026 through Oct 11, 2026 (11 days).

Visit on Oct 31, 2026

After the global period ends: visits and procedures are billed normally.

SurgeryVisit
Sep 28, 2026Oct 14, 2026

What modifiers do to the payment

Modifier 51 · payment effect

With and without the modifier

30802 without 51 · national office

$278.56

Turbinate ablation

30802-51 · Second procedure: 50%

$139.28

When this isn’t the highest-valued procedure in the session, Medicare pays 50% of its fee schedule amount (the highest is paid at 100%).

When to use modifier 51

30802 compared with similar codes

Compare codes

30802 vs 30801 vs 30140 vs 30130: national Medicare rates

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

  • 30802
    Turbinate ablation · 2.03 wRVU
    $278.56
  • 30801
    Turbinate ablation · 1.11 wRVU
    $218.78−$59.78
  • 30140
    Turbinate reduction · 2.93 wRVU
    $293.93+$15.37
  • 30130
    Turbinate excision · 3.38 wRVU
    —

How to choose

30801Turbinate ablation
Choose 30801 for superficial ablation of the inferior turbinate. Choose 30802 when the tissue reduction is submucosal.
30140Turbinate reduction
30140 describes submucous resection of turbinate tissue; 30802 describes submucosal ablation or tissue-volume reduction.
30130Turbinate excision
30130 is for partial or complete excision of turbinate tissue, not submucosal ablation.

30802 billing questions

How does 30802 differ from 30801?

30802 is for reduction beneath the turbinate lining. Use 30801 when the ablation is confined to the superficial tissue.

Is modifier 50 appropriate for bilateral treatment?

No. 30802 is already priced for unilateral or bilateral treatment, and modifier 50 does not increase payment.

Are postoperative visits separately reportable?

Related postoperative visits during the 10-day global period are included in the procedure.

Can 30802 be reported with septoplasty?

It may be reported with septoplasty when both distinct services are performed in the same session. The standard multiple-procedure reduction applies.

What documentation distinguishes submucosal ablation?

Document inferior turbinate hypertrophy, the treated side or sides, and that tissue reduction was performed beneath the mucosal surface rather than superficially.

Can an assistant or co-surgeon be billed?

Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery for 30802; co-surgeons and team surgery are not permitted.

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 30802PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 3,471 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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