CPT code 31730: Tracheal dilation2026 Medicare rate & RVUs

Percutaneous tracheal stenosis dilation introduces a wire or catheter into the trachea to widen a narrowed segment without open tracheoplasty.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities98 Medicare services in 2024

Medicare pays $1,175.04 for 31730 nationally in the office and $133.27 in a hospital or facility. Local office rates run $1,016.14–$1,646.94.

Medicare rate · 31730

Tracheal dilation

Office or facility?

Work RVUs
2.78
Total RVUs
35.18
Global days
000

National rate · 2026

$1,175.04

Office setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 31730 →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.

Your location

Medicare pays by the payment locality where the service is performed.

On this page 10 sections
  1. Medicare rate
  2. What 31730 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 31730 covers

This procedure uses percutaneous access to introduce a wire or catheter into a narrowed tracheal segment and dilate the stenosis. It may be performed by an otolaryngologist or thoracic surgeon in an operating room or other procedural setting when a tracheal narrowing requires dilation. The record should identify the stenosis, the percutaneous approach, and the wire or catheter dilation performed.

Report 31730 for this percutaneous tracheal dilation, rather than for bronchoscopic dilation or open tracheal reconstruction. It has a 0-day global period, so same-day preoperative and postoperative care is included. 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. Modifier 50 is inappropriate for this code. Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery, and 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 31730 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

$1016.14 to $1646.94

$1016.14$1331.54$1646.94
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

31730 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
Alabama$1,034.09$122.54
Alaska$1,282.37$172.88
Arizona$1,139.42$129.94
Arkansas$1,016.14$121.25
Atlanta, GA$1,196.04$137.59
Austin, TX$1,234.84$132.64
Bakersfield, CA$1,271.75$129.97
Baltimore area, MD$1,258.54$140.72
Beaumont, TX$1,078.00$129.98
Brazoria, TX$1,162.17$129.77

31730 rates by state

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

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.

$1,016.14

$1,458.58

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

View every state and territory as a table
31730 office rate range by state
State / territoryOffice rate rangeLocalities
AK$1,282.371
AL$1,034.091
AR$1,016.141
AZ$1,139.421
CA$1,270.22–$1,646.9429
CO$1,240.221
CT$1,262.671
DC$1,371.491
DE$1,160.891
FL$1,137.48–$1,246.753
GA$1,063.68–$1,196.042
GU$1,313.051
HI$1,313.051
IA$1,073.541
ID$1,080.261
IL$1,092.83–$1,218.604
IN$1,087.941
KS$1,063.811
KY$1,055.401
LA$1,051.93–$1,114.782
MA$1,229.18–$1,383.212
MD$1,187.23–$1,371.493
ME$1,082.99–$1,158.692
MI$1,084.86–$1,150.412
MN$1,192.961
MO$1,027.76–$1,124.023
MS$1,022.381
MT$1,175.011
NC$1,097.141
ND$1,164.131
NE$1,081.701
NH$1,216.361
NJ$1,278.41–$1,352.352
NM$1,090.441
NV$1,173.041
NY$1,116.40–$1,397.795
OH$1,082.641
OK$1,057.121
OR$1,165.33–$1,289.912
PA$1,086.80–$1,223.882
PR$1,186.471
RI$1,209.931
SC$1,091.441
SD$1,162.851
TN$1,069.731
TX$1,078.00–$1,234.848
UT$1,109.341
VA$1,151.56–$1,371.492
VI$1,186.471
VT$1,155.331
WA$1,228.24–$1,417.812
WI$1,117.651
WV$1,043.601
WY$1,170.271

How the 31730 rate is calculated

Each of 31730’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 · 31730

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Office or facility?

Work2.78

2.78 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Practice expense31.85

31.85 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Malpractice0.55

0.55 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Adjusted RVUs

35.1800

Conversion factor

$33.4009

Medicare rate

$1,175.04

Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.

Payment rules and modifiers for 31730

The CMS indicators that decide how 31730 is paid alongside other services.

CMS payment indicators · 31730

Tracheal dilation

RuleCMS valueWhat it means
Global period000Same-day global: pre- and post-op care on the day of the procedure is 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)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

31730 without 51 · national office

$1,175.04

Tracheal dilation

31730-51 · Second procedure: 50%

$587.52

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

31730 compared with similar codes

Compare codes · National

4 codes, side by side

Office or facility?

  • 31730

    Tracheal dilation2.78 wRVU

    $1,175.04

  • 31630

    Bronchoscopy3.71 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 31750

    Tracheoplasty15.01 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 31760

    Tracheoplasty22.89 wRVU

    Not priced

How to choose

31630Bronchoscopy
Choose 31730 for percutaneous wire or catheter dilation of tracheal stenosis. Choose 31630 when dilation is performed through a bronchoscope.
31750Tracheoplasty
31730 dilates a stenosis through percutaneous wire or catheter access; 31750 is open reconstruction of the cervical trachea.
31760Tracheoplasty
31730 is percutaneous dilation. 31760 is open tracheoplasty for an intrathoracic tracheal segment.

31730 billing questions

How is 31730 different from bronchoscopic dilation?

31730 describes dilation using percutaneous introduction of a wire or catheter. CPT 31630 describes dilation performed through a bronchoscope.

Does 31730 include same-day care?

Yes. Its 0-day global period includes same-day preoperative and postoperative care.

Can modifier 50 be used for bilateral tracheal dilation?

No. The bilateral adjustment does not apply, and modifier 50 is inappropriate for this code.

Can an assistant or co-surgeon be reported?

Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery for 31730. Co-surgeons and team surgery are not permitted.

What documentation supports reporting 31730?

Document the tracheal stenosis, the percutaneous approach, and the wire or catheter dilation performed. The note should distinguish this work from bronchoscopic dilation or open reconstruction.

What happens when another procedure is performed in the same session?

Under the standard multiple-procedure rule, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are subject to a 50% 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 31730PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 3,666 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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