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Billing code 31075: Frontal sinus explorationMedicare rate & RVUs

Reports surgical exploration directed at the frontal sinus, including operative assessment of disease and any tissue removal performed as part of that exploration.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities

Medicare pays $749.52 for 31075 nationally in a facility.

Medicare rate · 31075

Frontal sinus exploration

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work RVUs
9.27
Total RVUs
22.44
Global days
090

National rate · 2026

$749.52

Facility setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 31075 → · 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 31075 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 31075 covers

An otolaryngologist surgically accesses the frontal sinus to inspect or evaluate disease within that sinus; tissue may also be removed during the exploration. The operative report should identify the frontal sinus as the target and describe what the surgeon did there. This is distinct from routine nasal examination or irrigation of a sinus.

Report the service when the documented operation supports frontal sinus exploration, rather than selecting a code solely from a diagnosis such as chronic sinusitis. CMS assigns a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. 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 50% multiple-procedure reduction. For bilateral reporting with modifier 50, CMS pays at 150%. An assistant at surgery may be paid; co-surgeon payment requires supporting documentation, and team surgery is 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 31075 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

31075 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
AlabamaUnavailable$680.70
Alaska*Unavailable$909.92
ArizonaUnavailable$730.82
ArkansasUnavailable$672.10
AtlantaUnavailable$765.76
AustinUnavailable$767.95
BakersfieldUnavailable$775.83
Baltimore/Surr. CntysUnavailable$793.92
BeaumontUnavailable$710.78
BrazoriaUnavailable$738.59

31075 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
31075 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 31075 rate is calculated

Each of 31075’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 · 31075

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work 9.27Practice expense 11.83Malpractice 1.34

22.4400 adjusted RVUs×$33.4009 conversion factor=$749.52

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

Payment rules and modifiers for 31075

31075 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.

CMS payment indicators · 31075

Frontal sinus exploration

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)2Paid.
Co-surgeons (62)1Permitted with supporting documentation.
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 · 31075

Frontal sinus exploration

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

31075 without 50 · national facility

$749.52

Frontal sinus exploration

31075-50 · Bilateral: 150%

$1,124.28

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

31075 compared with similar codes

Compare codes

31075 vs 31070 vs 31276 vs 31080: national Medicare rates

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

  • 31075
    Frontal sinus exploration · 9.27 wRVU
    —
  • 31070
    Frontal sinus surgery · 4.29 wRVU
    —
  • 31276
    Frontal sinus endoscopy · 6.58 wRVU
    —
  • 31080
    Frontal sinus surgery · 12.42 wRVU
    —

How to choose

31070Frontal sinus surgery
Both codes concern frontal sinus exploration. Review the full billing code descriptors and operative documentation to select the applicable service; the CMS short labels alone do not establish the distinction.
31276Frontal sinus endoscopy
31276 applies to endoscopic frontal sinus surgery performed through the nasal passages. This code represents a different frontal sinus exploration service; select according to the documented operative method and billing code descriptor.
31080Frontal sinus surgery
31080 represents a frontal sinusotomy procedure, while 31075 is reported for frontal sinus exploration. The operative report should support which procedure was performed.

Codes related to 31075

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

Codes related to 31075
CodeHow it relatesNational office range
Same family
31070Frontal sinus surgeryAnother frontal sinus exploration code; distinguish the applicable billing code service based on the operative documentation.No office rate
Used instead
31276Frontal sinus endoscopyEndoscopic frontal sinus surgery through the nasal passages, including exploration.No office rate
31080Frontal sinus surgeryFrontal sinusotomy code for a sinusotomy operation rather than exploration.No office rate

31075 billing questions

How is this code distinguished from 31276?

31276 describes endoscopic frontal sinus surgery performed through the nasal passages. Use the code that matches the documented operative method and the applicable billing code descriptor.

What documentation supports reporting frontal sinus exploration?

The operative report should identify the frontal sinus as the surgical target and describe the access, findings, and any tissue removal performed.

How does the multiple-procedure reduction affect this service?

When multiple procedures are performed in the same session, CMS pays the highest-valued procedure in full and applies the standard 50% reduction to the others.

Can modifier 50 be used for bilateral surgery?

Yes. CMS treats this as a bilateral procedure when reported with modifier 50 and pays it at 150%.

Is an assistant surgeon payable?

An assistant at surgery may be paid. Co-surgeon payment requires supporting documentation; team surgery is 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 31075PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 3,503 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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