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Billing code 31636: Bronchial stentMedicare rate & RVUs

Bronchoscopic placement of a stent in an initial bronchus to maintain airway patency, such as for a narrowed or obstructed bronchus.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities882 Medicare services in 2024

Medicare pays $195.40 for 31636 nationally in a facility.

Medicare rate · 31636

Bronchial stent

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work RVUs
4.19
Total RVUs
5.85
Global days
000

National rate · 2026

$195.40

Facility setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 31636 → · 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 31636 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 31636 covers

A pulmonologist or thoracic surgeon uses a bronchoscope to position and deploy a stent in a bronchus, commonly to keep an airway open when narrowing or obstruction limits airflow. The procedure is typically performed in a hospital or other procedural setting, often for airway compromise from a tumor or a benign stenosis. Fluoroscopic guidance may be used when needed. This code identifies stenting in the initial bronchus; a separate add-on code is available when another bronchus is stented during the same session.

Report the service when the record supports bronchoscopic stent placement and identifies the treated bronchus and reason for maintaining its patency. A minor-procedure 0-day global period includes same-day preoperative and postoperative care. When related endoscopies are performed together, CMS endoscopy-family pricing applies. Bilateral adjustment does not apply, and modifier 50 is inappropriate. Medicare does not pay for an assistant at surgery; 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 31636 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

31636 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
AlabamaUnavailable$183.92
Alaska*Unavailable$261.42
ArizonaUnavailable$192.02
ArkansasUnavailable$182.52
AtlantaUnavailable$199.42
AustinUnavailable$196.36
BakersfieldUnavailable$196.22
Baltimore/Surr. CntysUnavailable$204.09
BeaumontUnavailable$190.68
BrazoriaUnavailable$192.91

31636 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
31636 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 31636 rate is calculated

Each of 31636’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 · 31636

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work 4.19Practice expense 1.22Malpractice 0.44

5.8500 adjusted RVUs×$33.4009 conversion factor=$195.40

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

Payment rules and modifiers for 31636

The CMS indicators that decide how 31636 is paid alongside other services.

CMS payment indicators · 31636

Bronchial stent

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

What modifiers do to the payment

Modifier 51 · payment effect

With and without the modifier

31636 without 51 · national facility

$195.40

Bronchial stent

31636-51 · Second procedure: 50%

$97.70

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

31636 compared with similar codes

Compare codes

31636 vs 31631 vs 31637 vs 31638 vs 31630: national Medicare rates

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

  • 31636
    Bronchial stent · 4.19 wRVU
    —
  • 31631
    Airway stent · 4.25 wRVU
    —
  • 31637
    Bronchial stent · 1.54 wRVU
    —
  • 31638
    Airway stent revision · 4.76 wRVU
    —
  • 31630
    Bronchoscopy · 3.71 wRVU
    —

How to choose

31631Airway stent
Choose 31631 when the stent is placed in the trachea; 31636 is for a bronchus.
31637Bronchial stent
31636 covers the initial bronchus stented. Use 31637 for an additional bronchus treated in the same session.
31638Airway stent revision
31638 describes revision of an existing tracheal or bronchial stent, not initial bronchial stent placement.
31630Bronchoscopy
31630 is for bronchoscopic dilation of an airway; 31636 is reported when a stent is placed in a bronchus.

Codes related to 31636

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

Codes related to 31636
CodeHow it relatesNational office range
Used instead
31631Airway stentUsed for bronchoscopic stent placement in the trachea rather than a bronchus.No office rate
31630BronchoscopyTreats airway narrowing by bronchoscopic dilation rather than stent placement.No office rate
Add-on codes
31637Bronchial stentAdd-on service for stenting an additional bronchus during the same session.No office rate

31636 billing questions

When should 31636 be used instead of 31631?

Use 31636 for stent placement in a bronchus. Code 31631 is for placement in the trachea.

How is another stented bronchus reported?

When an additional bronchus is stented in the same session, report the applicable add-on code, 31637, with 31636.

Can modifier 50 be reported for stenting both sides?

No. CMS identifies bilateral adjustment as inapplicable to this service, and modifier 50 is inappropriate.

What documentation supports 31636?

Document bronchoscopic stent placement, the bronchus treated, and the clinical reason for maintaining airway patency. Record any additional bronchus treated when applicable.

Can an assistant or co-surgeon be reported?

Medicare does not pay an assistant-at-surgery claim 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 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 31636PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 3,645 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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