31075
No office rateFrontal sinus exploration
Both codes describe frontal sinus exploration. Check the full code descriptions against the documented approach and operative work; the short CMS descriptors are not enough to choose between them.
On this page
CMS RVU26D · Effective 2026-10-01
31070 Frontal sinus surgery Medicare reimbursement rates
Reports surgical exploration of the frontal sinus to evaluate or treat frontal sinus disease, with the operative approach and work documented in the record. Compare 31070 office and facility rates across CMS payment localities.
Amounts below use the non-QP conversion factor for participating physicians. These are base physician payments before claim-level adjustments, not patient costs or total hospital charges.
What does Medicare pay for 31070?
The service location and office or facility setting determine which base rate applies. These are the supported base rates for the 109 payment areas shown below, using the same CMS release.
Office / nonfacility
No supported rate
Facility setting
$393.53–$572.32
109 of 109 localities have a supported rate.
Lowest: Arkansas
Highest: San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara (San Benito Cnty)
A spread of $178.79 per service.
These are locality ranges, not averages or address-specific quotes. A facility-setting amount covers the physician service; it does not include a hospital’s separate bill. Choose a locality below to inspect its calculation, compare other payment areas, or price a percentage of Medicare.
Where 31070 pays more and less
Sinus surgery
About 31070: Frontal sinus surgical exploration
Reports surgical exploration of the frontal sinus to evaluate or treat frontal sinus disease, with the operative approach and work documented in the record.
A surgeon accesses the frontal sinus to inspect its cavity and may remove tissue as part of the exploration. This is distinct from simply irrigating a sinus or examining it with an endoscope through the nasal passage. The service is generally performed by an otolaryngologist in an operating room or other surgical setting for conditions requiring direct surgical access to the frontal sinus.
Report 31070 when the documented operation matches this frontal sinus exploration service; the operative report should identify the sinus, surgical access, findings, and any tissue removal. Medicare assigns a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. If multiple procedures are performed in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and the others at 50%. For bilateral reporting, modifier 50 is paid at 150%. Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery for this code, and co-surgeons and team surgery are not permitted.
CMS billing rules for 31070
- Global period
- Major surgery with a 90-day global period: the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care are included.
- Multiple procedures
- Standard multiple procedure reduction: the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and others at 50% when performed in the same session.
- Bilateral procedures
- Bilateral procedure with modifier 50 is paid at 150%.
- Assistant at surgery
- Statutory restriction: assistant at surgery is not paid.
- Co-surgeons
- Co-surgeons not permitted.
- Team surgery
- Team surgery not permitted.
Where the value comes from
- Work RVU4.29 · 32%
- Practice expense (office) RVU8.35 · 63%
- Malpractice RVU0.62 · 5%
31
Medicare services in 2024 · #5639 by national volume
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.
31070 compared with similar codes
Office rate ranges across all CMS payment localities, from the same CMS release.
No office rate
31276 describes endoscopic frontal sinus surgery through the nasal passage. 31070 is for the separately defined surgical exploration service, not the endoscopic approach.
$380.81–$578.41
31020 concerns exploration of the maxillary sinus. 31070 concerns the frontal sinus, so the operated sinus determines which code is relevant.
See how rates vary across the country
31070 · Office / nonfacility · Non-QP. Choose a state to explore its payment localities. A range means the amount varies within that state.
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.
View all state and territory rates as a table
| State / territory | Rate range | Localities |
|---|---|---|
| AK | No published base rate | 1 |
| AL | No published base rate | 1 |
| AR | No published base rate | 1 |
| AZ | No published base rate | 1 |
| CA | No published base rate | 29 |
| CO | No published base rate | 1 |
| CT | No published base rate | 1 |
| DC | No published base rate | 1 |
| DE | No published base rate | 1 |
| FL | No published base rate | 3 |
| GA | No published base rate | 2 |
| GU | No published base rate | 1 |
| HI | No published base rate | 1 |
| IA | No published base rate | 1 |
| ID | No published base rate | 1 |
| IL | No published base rate | 4 |
| IN | No published base rate | 1 |
| KS | No published base rate | 1 |
| KY | No published base rate | 1 |
| LA | No published base rate | 2 |
| MA | No published base rate | 2 |
| MD | No published base rate | 3 |
| ME | No published base rate | 2 |
| MI | No published base rate | 2 |
| MN | No published base rate | 1 |
| MO | No published base rate | 3 |
| MS | No published base rate | 1 |
| MT | No published base rate | 1 |
| NC | No published base rate | 1 |
| ND | No published base rate | 1 |
| NE | No published base rate | 1 |
| NH | No published base rate | 1 |
| NJ | No published base rate | 2 |
| NM | No published base rate | 1 |
| NV | No published base rate | 1 |
| NY | No published base rate | 5 |
| OH | No published base rate | 1 |
| OK | No published base rate | 1 |
| OR | No published base rate | 2 |
| PA | No published base rate | 2 |
| PR | No published base rate | 1 |
| RI | No published base rate | 1 |
| SC | No published base rate | 1 |
| SD | No published base rate | 1 |
| TN | No published base rate | 1 |
| TX | No published base rate | 8 |
| UT | No published base rate | 1 |
| VA | No published base rate | 2 |
| VI | No published base rate | 1 |
| VT | No published base rate | 1 |
| WA | No published base rate | 2 |
| WI | No published base rate | 1 |
| WV | No published base rate | 1 |
| WY | No published base rate | 1 |
Compare 31070 by payment locality
Find the payment area for your service address, then open its rate page for calculation inputs, release history and the percentage-of-Medicare tool. A city may cross payment-area boundaries; the ZIP lookup above helps resolve the location.
109 of 109 payment localities
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Office Unavailable | Facility $399.05 |
| Alaska* | Office Unavailable | Facility $523.37 |
| Arizona | Office Unavailable | Facility $431.27 |
| Arkansas | Office Unavailable | Facility $393.53 |
| Atlanta | Office Unavailable | Facility $451.95 |
| Austin | Office Unavailable | Facility $457.00 |
| Bakersfield | Office Unavailable | Facility $464.30 |
| Baltimore/Surr. Cntys | Office Unavailable | Facility $470.46 |
| Beaumont | Office Unavailable | Facility $416.32 |
| Brazoria | Office Unavailable | Facility $436.98 |
| Chicago | Office Unavailable | Facility $472.11 |
| Chico | Office Unavailable | Facility $462.50 |
| Colorado | Office Unavailable | Facility $457.93 |
| Connecticut | Office Unavailable | Facility $471.59 |
| Dallas | Office Unavailable | Facility $440.13 |
| Dc + Md/Va Suburbs | Office Unavailable | Facility $502.62 |
| Delaware | Office Unavailable | Facility $438.17 |
| Detroit | Office Unavailable | Facility $447.34 |
| East St. Louis | Office Unavailable | Facility $441.58 |
| El Centro | Office Unavailable | Facility $462.60 |
| Fort Lauderdale | Office Unavailable | Facility $463.25 |
| Fort Worth | Office Unavailable | Facility $437.61 |
| Fresno | Office Unavailable | Facility $462.50 |
| Galveston | Office Unavailable | Facility $438.53 |
| Hanford-Corcoran | Office Unavailable | Facility $462.50 |
| Hawaii, Guam | Office Unavailable | Facility $472.39 |
| Houston | Office Unavailable | Facility $449.88 |
| Idaho | Office Unavailable | Facility $409.67 |
| Indiana | Office Unavailable | Facility $411.89 |
| Iowa | Office Unavailable | Facility $406.70 |
| Kansas | Office Unavailable | Facility $405.85 |
| Kentucky | Office Unavailable | Facility $410.18 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim (Los Angeles/Orange Cnty) | Office Unavailable | Facility $492.85 |
| Madera | Office Unavailable | Facility $462.50 |
| Manhattan | Office Unavailable | Facility $509.38 |
| Merced | Office Unavailable | Facility $462.50 |
| Metropolitan Boston | Office Unavailable | Facility $500.60 |
| Metropolitan Kansas City | Office Unavailable | Facility $425.41 |
| Metropolitan Philadelphia | Office Unavailable | Facility $460.91 |
| Metropolitan St. Louis | Office Unavailable | Facility $429.55 |
| Miami | Office Unavailable | Facility $485.99 |
| Minnesota | Office Unavailable | Facility $436.41 |
| Mississippi | Office Unavailable | Facility $398.72 |
| Modesto | Office Unavailable | Facility $462.50 |
| Montana** | Office Unavailable | Facility $442.85 |
| Napa | Office Unavailable | Facility $530.42 |
| Nebraska | Office Unavailable | Facility $408.54 |
| Nevada** | Office Unavailable | Facility $439.72 |
| New Hampshire | Office Unavailable | Facility $451.74 |
| New Mexico | Office Unavailable | Facility $423.91 |
| New Orleans | Office Unavailable | Facility $429.26 |
| North Carolina | Office Unavailable | Facility $416.73 |
| North Dakota** | Office Unavailable | Facility $430.60 |
| Northern Nj | Office Unavailable | Facility $497.95 |
| Nyc Suburbs/Long Island | Office Unavailable | Facility $522.53 |
| Ohio | Office Unavailable | Facility $418.80 |
| Oklahoma | Office Unavailable | Facility $408.44 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura | Office Unavailable | Facility $489.86 |
| Portland | Office Unavailable | Facility $470.84 |
| Poughkpsie/N Nyc Suburbs | Office Unavailable | Facility $480.19 |
| Puerto Rico | Office Unavailable | Facility $445.65 |
| Queens | Office Unavailable | Facility $511.98 |
| Redding | Office Unavailable | Facility $462.50 |
| Rest Of California | Office Unavailable | Facility $462.50 |
| Rest Of Florida | Office Unavailable | Facility $441.04 |
| Rest Of Georgia | Office Unavailable | Facility $416.75 |
| Rest Of Illinois | Office Unavailable | Facility $430.29 |
| Rest Of Louisiana | Office Unavailable | Facility $409.95 |
| Rest Of Maine | Office Unavailable | Facility $412.76 |
| Rest Of Maryland | Office Unavailable | Facility $445.98 |
| Rest Of Massachusetts | Office Unavailable | Facility $455.77 |
| Rest Of Michigan | Office Unavailable | Facility $421.30 |
| Rest Of Missouri | Office Unavailable | Facility $403.87 |
| Rest Of New Jersey | Office Unavailable | Facility $476.29 |
| Rest Of New York | Office Unavailable | Facility $422.80 |
| Rest Of Oregon | Office Unavailable | Facility $435.63 |
| Rest Of Pennsylvania | Office Unavailable | Facility $418.89 |
| Rest Of Texas | Office Unavailable | Facility $426.66 |
| Rest Of Washington | Office Unavailable | Facility $454.59 |
| Rhode Island | Office Unavailable | Facility $452.59 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario | Office Unavailable | Facility $469.21 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom | Office Unavailable | Facility $483.91 |
| Salinas | Office Unavailable | Facility $482.07 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | Office Unavailable | Facility $492.37 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley (Marin Cnty) | Office Unavailable | Facility $559.65 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley (San Francisco/San Mateo/Alameda/Contra Costa Cnty) | Office Unavailable | Facility $558.95 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara (San Benito Cnty) | Office Unavailable | Facility $572.32 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara (Santa Clara Cnty) | Office Unavailable | Facility $569.44 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles | Office Unavailable | Facility $474.49 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville | Office Unavailable | Facility $496.26 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara | Office Unavailable | Facility $483.60 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma | Office Unavailable | Facility $501.17 |
| Seattle (King Cnty) | Office Unavailable | Facility $509.58 |
| South Carolina | Office Unavailable | Facility $418.59 |
| South Dakota** | Office Unavailable | Facility $429.15 |
| Southern Maine | Office Unavailable | Facility $432.74 |
| Stockton | Office Unavailable | Facility $462.50 |
| Suburban Chicago | Office Unavailable | Facility $467.42 |
| Tennessee | Office Unavailable | Facility $407.93 |
| Utah | Office Unavailable | Facility $424.05 |
| Vallejo | Office Unavailable | Facility $529.41 |
| Vermont | Office Unavailable | Facility $429.88 |
| Virgin Islands | Office Unavailable | Facility $445.65 |
| Virginia | Office Unavailable | Facility $432.07 |
| Visalia | Office Unavailable | Facility $462.50 |
| West Virginia | Office Unavailable | Facility $415.29 |
| Wisconsin | Office Unavailable | Facility $416.85 |
| Wyoming** | Office Unavailable | Facility $437.51 |
| Yuba City | Office Unavailable | Facility $462.50 |
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31070 billing questions
How does 31070 differ from endoscopic frontal sinus surgery?
Use 31070 for the covered surgical exploration through direct surgical access. Endoscopic frontal sinus work performed through the nasal passage is represented by the appropriate endoscopic sinus code, such as 31276.
How should 31070 be distinguished from 31075?
Both codes concern frontal sinus exploration, so use the full code descriptions and the operative details to select the service that matches the documented approach and work. The short CMS labels alone do not establish the distinction.
What documentation supports reporting 31070?
The operative report should identify the frontal sinus, describe how it was accessed and explored, and record the findings and any tissue removal.
Can modifier 50 be used when both frontal sinuses are explored?
CMS lists this as a bilateral procedure; bilateral reporting with modifier 50 is paid at 150%. The operative documentation should support work on both sides.
Can an assistant or co-surgeon be reported for 31070?
Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery for this code. 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 indices and the applicable conversion factor. Unavailable or separately priced services are labeled rather than assigned a made-up amount.
Source: RVU26D. Effective 2026-10-01 through the day before 2027-01-01.
3,49931040,,Exploration behind upper jaw,A,,9.53,10.65,NA,10.65,,1.43,21.61,21.61,0,090,0.10,0.76,0.14,2,1,1,1,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
3,50031050,,Exploration sphenoid sinus,A,,5.24,8.26,NA,8.26,,0.78,14.28,14.28,0,090,0.10,0.76,0.14,2,1,1,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
3,50131051,,Sphenoid sinus surgery,A,,7.07,10.90,NA,10.90,,1.05,19.02,19.02,0,090,0.10,0.76,0.14,2,1,1,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
3,50231070,,Exploration of frontal sinus,A,,4.29,8.35,NA,8.35,,0.62,13.26,13.26,0,090,0.10,0.76,0.14,2,1,1,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
3,50331075,,Exploration of frontal sinus,A,,9.27,11.83,NA,11.83,,1.34,22.44,22.44,0,090,0.10,0.76,0.14,2,1,2,1,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
3,50431080,,Removal of frontal sinus,A,,12.42,15.20,NA,15.20,,1.80,29.42,29.42,0,090,0.10,0.76,0.14,2,1,2,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
3,50531081,,Removal of frontal sinus,A,,13.84,15.54,NA,15.54,,2.02,31.40,31.40,0,090,0.10,0.76,0.14,2,1,2,1,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00