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Billing code 31572: Laser laryngoscopyMedicare rate & RVUs

Flexible laryngoscopic laser ablation treats visible laryngeal lesions, often recurrent vocal fold papillomas, when the clinician destroys tissue through an endoscope rather than excising it.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities1.2K Medicare services in 2024

Medicare pays $511.70 for 31572 nationally in the office and $154.98 in a hospital or facility. Local office rates run $448.41–$692.37.

Medicare rate · 31572

Laser laryngoscopy

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work RVUs
2.93
Total RVUs
15.32
Global days
000

National rate · 2026

$511.70

Office setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 31572 → · 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 31572 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 31572 covers

An otolaryngologist advances a flexible endoscope to view the larynx and directs laser energy to ablate a lesion rather than remove it as an excisional specimen. A common setting is office-based treatment of recurrent respiratory papillomatosis affecting the vocal folds; selected laryngeal lesions may also be treated this way. The procedure differs from diagnostic flexible examination, tissue biopsy, injection, or non-laser lesion removal.

Report 31572 for the flexible endoscopic laser treatment, with the operative note identifying the lesion and site, the laser destruction performed, and any treated side. CMS assigns a 0-day global period, so same-day preoperative and postoperative care is included. When related endoscopies are performed together, endoscopy-family pricing applies. For bilateral treatment, modifier 50 is paid at 150%. Assistant-at-surgery payment requires documented medical necessity; 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 31572 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

$448.41 to $692.37

$448.41$570.39$692.37
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

31572 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
Alabama$455.53$143.40
Alaska*$580.15$200.24
Arizona$497.25$151.59
Arkansas$448.41$141.99
Atlanta$521.27$158.84
Austin$533.43$156.02
Bakersfield$546.30$155.33
Baltimore/Surr. Cntys$545.83$163.07
Beaumont$474.73$150.11
Brazoria$505.73$152.22

31572 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.

$448.41

$618.71

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

View every state and territory as a table
31572 office rate range by state
State / territoryOffice rate rangeLocalities
AK$580.151
AL$455.531
AR$448.411
AZ$497.251
CA$545.05–$692.3729
CO$535.301
CT$547.431
DC$589.721
DE$505.951
FL$501.35–$550.043
GA$471.32–$521.272
GU$560.381
HI$560.381
IA$469.091
ID$472.171
IL$485.03–$534.264
IN$475.161
KS$466.231
KY$466.141
LA$465.16–$490.092
MA$531.52–$591.632
MD$516.30–$589.723
ME$474.31–$502.812
MI$478.80–$507.572
MN$513.181
MO$456.20–$492.563
MS$452.431
MT$511.671
NC$479.751
ND$503.171
NE$472.011
NH$526.281
NJ$553.76–$582.762
NM$481.431
NV$509.701
NY$487.46–$605.775
OH$477.061
OK$465.761
OR$505.84–$553.932
PA$478.15–$532.612
PR$515.881
RI$525.191
SC$479.191
SD$502.171
TN$468.701
TX$474.73–$533.438
UT$486.271
VA$500.69–$589.722
VI$515.881
VT$500.611
WA$530.71–$604.652
WI$484.991
WV$465.561
WY$507.971

How the 31572 rate is calculated

Each of 31572’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 · 31572

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work 2.93Practice expense 11.96Malpractice 0.43

15.3200 adjusted RVUs×$33.4009 conversion factor=$511.70

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

Payment rules and modifiers for 31572

The CMS indicators that decide how 31572 is paid alongside other services.

CMS payment indicators · 31572

Laser laryngoscopy

RuleCMS valueWhat it means
Global period000Same-day global: pre- and post-op care on the day of the procedure is included.
Multiple procedures3Endoscopy family rules apply.
Bilateral (modifier 50)1Bilateral with modifier 50 pays 150% of the fee schedule amount.
Assistant at surgery (80/81/82/AS)0Not paid without supporting documentation.
Co-surgeons (62)0Not permitted.
Team surgery (66)0Not permitted.
Professional/technical0Physician service: no professional/technical split.

What modifiers do to the payment

Modifier 50 · payment effect

With and without the modifier

31572 without 50 · national office

$511.70

Laser laryngoscopy

31572-50 · Bilateral: 150%

$767.55

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

31572 compared with similar codes

Compare codes

31572 vs 31578 vs 31576 vs 31573 vs 31574: national Medicare rates

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

  • 31572
    Laser laryngoscopy · 2.93 wRVU
    $511.70
  • 31578
    Laryngoscopy · 2.37 wRVU
    $304.28−$207.42
  • 31576
    Laryngeal biopsy · 1.84 wRVU
    $268.54−$243.16
  • 31573
    Laryngoscopy · 2.37 wRVU
    $287.25−$224.45
  • 31574
    Vocal fold injection · 2.37 wRVU
    $901.82+$390.12

How to choose

31578Laryngoscopy
31572 uses laser energy to destroy a lesion through a flexible scope. 31578 is for flexible-scope lesion removal without laser destruction.
31576Laryngeal biopsy
31576 is selected when a flexible-scope biopsy obtains tissue for examination. Choose 31572 when the documented treatment is laser destruction of the lesion.
31573Laryngoscopy
31573 covers therapeutic injection through a flexible scope. It is not the laser ablation service described by 31572.
31574Vocal fold injection
31574 describes flexible-scope injection to augment vocal fold bulk. 31572 treats a lesion with laser energy.

Codes related to 31572

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

Codes related to 31572
CodeHow it relatesNational office range
Same family
31575LaryngoscopyFlexible-scope diagnostic examination without laser treatment of a lesion.$112.15–$169.37
31576Laryngeal biopsyFlexible-scope biopsy when tissue sampling, rather than laser destruction, is performed.$236.36–$358.97
31578LaryngoscopyFlexible-scope lesion removal by a non-laser approach.$268.40–$401.60
31573LaryngoscopyFlexible-scope therapeutic injection rather than laser ablation.$253.77–$377.04
31574Vocal fold injectionFlexible-scope injection to augment vocal fold bulk, not destroy a lesion.$781.69–$1,263.26
31579LaryngoscopyFlexible laryngoscopy with stroboscopic voice assessment rather than lesion treatment.$173.42–$253.72

31572 billing questions

How is 31572 different from flexible laryngoscopy with lesion removal?

Use 31572 when laser energy destroys the lesion through a flexible scope. Code 31578 describes flexible-scope lesion removal by a non-laser approach.

Can a diagnostic flexible laryngoscopy be reported with 31572?

The flexible visualization used to locate and treat the lesion is part of the laser service. If related endoscopies are performed together, CMS endoscopy-family pricing applies.

How should bilateral laser treatment be reported?

Report modifier 50 for bilateral treatment; CMS pays the bilateral procedure at 150%.

What documentation supports 31572?

Document the lesion and laryngeal site, flexible endoscopic approach, laser destruction performed, and laterality when applicable.

Can an assistant surgeon or co-surgeon be reported?

Assistant-at-surgery payment is allowed only when medical necessity is documented. 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 31572PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 3,605 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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