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Billing code 31050: Sphenoid sinus surgeryMedicare rate & RVUs

Reports surgical opening and exploration of the sphenoid sinus when the procedure does not include removal of tissue from that sinus.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities16 Medicare services in 2024

Medicare pays $476.96 for 31050 nationally in a facility.

Medicare rate · 31050

Sphenoid sinus surgery

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work RVUs
5.24
Total RVUs
14.28
Global days
090

National rate · 2026

$476.96

Facility setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 31050 → · 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 31050 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 31050 covers

An otolaryngologist surgically opens the sphenoid sinus to inspect the cavity or establish access and drainage. The procedure may be performed for an obstructed or diseased sphenoid sinus, commonly in an operating room. This code describes exploration without removal of tissue from the sinus; removal of sinus tissue points to a different code in the sphenoid procedure family.

The operative report should identify the treated side, the sphenoid sinus, the opening and exploration performed, and whether tissue was removed. This major surgery has a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. For bilateral work reported with modifier 50, CMS pays at 150%. When multiple procedures are performed in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and the others at 50%. CMS does not pay an assistant at surgery for this code; 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 31050 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

31050 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
AlabamaUnavailable$431.17
Alaska*Unavailable$570.71
ArizonaUnavailable$464.66
ArkansasUnavailable$425.43
AtlantaUnavailable$487.14
AustinUnavailable$490.35
BakersfieldUnavailable$496.59
Baltimore/Surr. CntysUnavailable$506.08
BeaumontUnavailable$450.28
BrazoriaUnavailable$470.15

31050 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
31050 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 31050 rate is calculated

Each of 31050’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 · 31050

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work 5.24Practice expense 8.26Malpractice 0.78

14.2800 adjusted RVUs×$33.4009 conversion factor=$476.96

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

Payment rules and modifiers for 31050

31050 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.

CMS payment indicators · 31050

Sphenoid sinus surgery

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)0.10/0.76/0.14Share of the payment for pre-op, the procedure itself, and post-op care.

Global surgery period · 31050

Sphenoid sinus surgery

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.

  • 24 Unrelated E/M visit by the same physician
  • 79 Unrelated procedure (starts its own global period)
  • 58 Staged, more extensive, or therapy procedure that was planned
  • 78 Unplanned 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

31050 without 50 · national facility

$476.96

Sphenoid sinus surgery

31050-50 · Bilateral: 150%

$715.44

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

31050 compared with similar codes

Compare codes

31050 vs 31051 vs 31287 vs 31288 vs 31002: national Medicare rates

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

  • 31050
    Sphenoid sinus surgery · 5.24 wRVU
    —
  • 31051
    Sphenoid surgery · 7.07 wRVU
    —
  • 31287
    Sphenoidotomy · 3.41 wRVU
    —
  • 31288
    Sphenoid surgery · 4 wRVU
    —
  • 31002
    Sinus irrigation · 1.91 wRVU
    —

How to choose

31051Sphenoid surgery
31050 describes sphenoid sinus opening and exploration without tissue removal. Use 31051 when tissue is removed from the sphenoid sinus.
31287Sphenoidotomy
31287 describes sphenoidotomy performed through surgical nasal/sinus endoscopy. Determine the appropriate code from the documented procedure and approach.
31288Sphenoid surgery
31288 is the endoscopic sphenoidotomy code when tissue is removed from the sinus; 31050 describes exploration without tissue removal.
31002Sinus irrigation
31002 is sphenoid sinus irrigation through cannulation, not surgical opening and exploration of the sinus.

Codes related to 31050

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

Codes related to 31050
CodeHow it relatesNational office range
Same family
31051Sphenoid surgerySphenoid sinus procedure when tissue is removed from the sinus.No office rate
Used instead
31287SphenoidotomyEndoscopic sphenoidotomy; select based on the documented endoscopic service.No office rate
31288Sphenoid surgeryEndoscopic sphenoidotomy that includes removal of tissue from the sinus.No office rate
31002Sinus irrigationSphenoid sinus irrigation by cannulation rather than surgical opening and exploration.No office rate

31050 billing questions

How does this differ from 31051?

Use 31050 for sphenoid sinus opening and exploration without tissue removal. When tissue is removed from the sphenoid sinus, 31051 is the relevant sibling code.

How does this differ from endoscopic sphenoidotomy?

billing code 31287 describes a surgical nasal/sinus endoscopy with sphenoidotomy. Select the code that matches the documented procedure and approach rather than treating the codes as interchangeable.

Can modifier 50 be used when both sphenoid sinuses are treated?

CMS identifies this as a bilateral procedure; when reported with modifier 50, payment is at 150%. The operative report should support work on both sides.

What postoperative care is included?

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

Can an assistant or co-surgeon be reported?

CMS does not pay an assistant at surgery for 31050. 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 31050PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 3,500 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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