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Billing code 31420: EpiglottidectomyMedicare rate & RVUs

Epiglottidectomy reports surgical removal of part or all of the epiglottis, such as for selected patients with epiglottic obstruction or collapse.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities41 Medicare services in 2024

Medicare pays $741.50 for 31420 nationally in a facility.

Medicare rate · 31420

Epiglottidectomy

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work RVUs
11.14
Total RVUs
22.20
Global days
090

National rate · 2026

$741.50

Facility setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 31420 → · 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 31420 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 31420 covers

An otolaryngologist removes part or all of the epiglottis to address disease involving this structure. A recognized setting is treatment of selected patients with obstructive sleep apnea associated with epiglottic collapse; epiglottidectomy may also be performed for other specific epiglottic disorders. The procedure is generally performed in an operating room, with the operative approach and extent guided by the condition and anatomy.

Report the code when the documented operation removes epiglottic tissue, rather than merely sampling a lesion or revising another part of the larynx. The operative report should identify the indication, the epiglottis treated, and the extent of removal. Medicare assigns a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and related postoperative care. For multiple procedures in one session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are subject to the standard 50% reduction. Modifier 50 is inappropriate. Assistant-at-surgery payment may be available; 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 31420 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

31420 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
AlabamaUnavailable$678.50
Alaska*Unavailable$923.57
ArizonaUnavailable$723.90
ArkansasUnavailable$670.68
AtlantaUnavailable$758.60
AustinUnavailable$754.31
BakersfieldUnavailable$757.52
Baltimore/Surr. CntysUnavailable$783.35
BeaumontUnavailable$709.29
BrazoriaUnavailable$729.66

31420 rates by state

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

MEWIVTNHMTNDMNMINYMARIWAIDWYSDIAILINOHPANJCTORNVUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDECAAZNMKSOKARTNNCSCDCTXLAMSALGAFLAKHI

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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
31420 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 31420 rate is calculated

Each of 31420’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 · 31420

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work 11.14Practice expense 9.43Malpractice 1.63

22.2000 adjusted RVUs×$33.4009 conversion factor=$741.50

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

Payment rules and modifiers for 31420

31420 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.

CMS payment indicators · 31420

Epiglottidectomy

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)0The 150% bilateral adjustment doesn’t apply.
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 · 31420

Epiglottidectomy

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 51 · payment effect

With and without the modifier

31420 without 51 · national facility

$741.50

Epiglottidectomy

31420-51 · Second procedure: 50%

$370.75

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

31420 compared with similar codes

Compare codes

31420 vs 31540 vs 31541 vs 31400: national Medicare rates

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

  • 31420
    Epiglottidectomy · 11.14 wRVU
    —
  • 31540
    Laryngeal excision · 4.02 wRVU
    —
  • 31541
    Tumor excision · 4.41 wRVU
    —
  • 31400
    Larynx revision · 11.31 wRVU
    —

How to choose

31540Laryngeal excision
This code describes epiglottidectomy. Choose 31540 for direct operative laryngoscopic excision or stripping of focal laryngeal tissue when that is the documented service.
31541Tumor excision
This code reports epiglottidectomy; 31541 is for operative laryngoscopic excision or stripping performed with an operating microscope or telescope.
31400Larynx revision
31400 describes revision of the larynx. Use 31420 when the documented operation removes epiglottic tissue rather than revising the larynx.

Codes related to 31420

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

Codes related to 31420
CodeHow it relatesNational office range
Used instead
31540Laryngeal excisionDirect operative laryngoscopy for excision or stripping of focal laryngeal tissue, rather than epiglottidectomy.No office rate
31541Tumor excisionOperative laryngoscopic excision using an operating microscope or telescope, rather than epiglottidectomy.No office rate
31535Laryngeal biopsyOperative laryngoscopic biopsy when sampling, rather than removal of the epiglottis, is performed.No office rate

31420 billing questions

When should this code be chosen over an operative laryngoscopy code?

Use 31420 when the operation removes part or all of the epiglottis. Codes for operative laryngoscopy may describe focal lesion excision or biopsy instead.

Is a diagnostic laryngoscopy separately reported during the same operation?

The operative report should support the work performed; do not treat an inspection that is part of the epiglottidectomy as a separate service.

Can modifier 50 be used for removal on both sides?

No. CMS identifies bilateral adjustment as inappropriate for this code.

What postoperative care is included?

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

May an assistant or co-surgeon be reported?

Assistant-at-surgery payment may be available. Co-surgeons are paid only with supporting documentation; team surgery is not permitted.

How are other procedures in the same session handled?

The highest-valued procedure is paid in full, and other procedures are subject to the standard multiple-procedure reduction.

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 31420PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 3,571 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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